
Class 



Book 



COPYRIGHT DEPOStY 




THE 

GARDEN 

CITY 



i^t^S<rsyjCc^ I 




Statup of Alexainler von II uinboUlt. 



^gHlEAGe 




(^^3y56Y?)5Y?gY^) , J 



The URmu Em. 




it)9iJQ^&iJ9tJQ ' ^ 



Its Magnificent Parks, 4 
Beulevards and 

=^Gerneteries. 



/*^^^ 



-TOGETHER WITH OTHER - 



Descriptive Views and Sketches. 

profusely Illustrated. 

/ 



COMPILED AND E^TED 

/ 

BY ANDREAS SIMON. 



CHICAGO: I '^ J 



Thk Franz Gixoklk Printing Co., 

140-146 Monroe Street. 

1893- 



Kiiteretl afcordiii^ to act of Congress, in the year 1H»3, by 

Andhkas Simon, 

in tlie ORice of the Libiariaii at WasliiiiKtoii, D.C 






The Half-Tone Ilhist rations in this Hooit, 

/were made by 
J. Manz & Co., Engravers, 
183, 180 & 187 Monroe St., - Chu'ac.o. 




CONTENTS. 



Page. 

Ouii Beautiful Parks 11 

Lincoln Park , 15 

The South Park System 40 

The West Chicago Parks 60 

Humboldt Park 77 

Garfield Park 83 

Douglas Park 8G 

West Side Boulevards 90 

Mineral Wells 101 

West Park Commissioners 105 

Voices from the Field of the Dead 106 

Gardens ok the Dead 100 

Chicago Cemeteries — Introduction Ill 

Early Hi.=tory of Chicago Cemeteries 115 

Graceland 116 

Rosehill 128 

Calvary 133 

. St. Boniface ' 140 

Wunder's Churchyard — Jewish Cemeteries 144 

Oak woods Cemetery 148 

St. Maria — Mount Greenwood 1 53 

Mount Olivet 1 56 

Mount Hope 159 

Forest Home 163 

Waldheim Cemetery 167 



— G — 

Page, 

Small Jewish Cemeteries 171 

Concordia Cemetery 172 

Mount Olive 175 

Bohemian National Cemetery 179 

Other Skstch^s and Views 183 

P. S. Peterson's Rosehill Nursery 187 

Egandale 195 

Domestic Conservatories 199 

The Queen of Aquatics 211 

Floriculture at the World's Columbian Exposition 215 

Edward S. Dreyer 219 

Theodor A. Kochs .■ 220 

John M. Smyth Building 221 

Business Notices 223 








ILLUSTRATIONS. 



1. Statue of Alexander von Humboldt 2 

2. Equestrian Statue of Gen'l Grunt, Lincoln Park 13 

3. Bridge in Lincoln Park 17 

4. The "Mall" in Lincoln Park 21 

5. Schiller Statue in Lincoln Park 25 

C. The Linne Monument in Lincoln Park 29 

7. Flower Parterre, showing Old Palm House, Lincoln Park 38 

8. Indian Group in Lincoln Park 37 

y. Grant Monument in Lincoln Park 41 

10. Washington Park 45 

11. Sun Dial in Washington Park 49 

12. Gates Ajar in Washington Park 53 

13. Residence of Mrs. Catharine Seipp, Michigan Boulevard 57 

14. The Humboldt Monument in Humboldt Park 61 

15. Residence of Wm. Schmidt near Lincoln Park 65 

16. Humboldt Park • 69 

17. Scene in Humboldt Park 75 

18. Monument of Fritz Reuter 79 

19. Scene in Garfield Park 83 

20. Residence of Andrew Leicht near Wicker Park 87 

21. Edw. Uihlein's Conservatory near Wicker Park 91 

22. Residence of Hermann Weinhardt near Wicker Park 95 

23. Residence of Geo. Rahlfs near Wicker Park 99 

24. Residence of E. S. Dreyer near Lincoln Park 103 

25. Entrance to Graceland 108 

26. ]Monument of Frederick and Cath. Wacker 113 

27. Scene in Graceland 117 

28. Entrance to Rosehill 121 

29. "Battery A" Monument, Rosehill 125 

30 Hon. John Wentworth's Monument * 129 



— 8 — 

Page. 
Entrance to Calvary 100 

32. Soldiers' Monument in Rosehill 237 

33. Monument of Mrs. Louise Hesing in St. Boniface 141 

34. AUerton Monument in Graceland I45 

35. Gateway to Oakwoods Cemetery I49 

36. Monument to Volunteer Fire Brigade 153 

37. Monument of Prof. Cummings Cherry 157 

38. Entrance to Forest Home 161 

39. Scene in Forest Home * jgg 

Entrance to Waldheim jgg 

Monument of John Blihler I73 

43. View in Waldheim jr.- 

.liohemiau Cemetery jgj 

Residence of P. S. Petersen 185 

Scene in Waldheim jgo 

Scene in Waldheim jg3 

Egandale— Porch Decoration ; 197 

48. Residence of Adolph Schoninger "... 201 

49. Egandale— The "Flower Basket" .205 

50. J. C. Vaughan's Greenhouses 009 

51. Egandale— The "Rockery" 213 

52. Scene in Waldheim 017 



31. 



40. 

41. 



43. 

44. 
45. 
46. 
47. 







:e=>i=l:bi^^^oEj. 



THE admirable and oxteusive Park System of the "Fair" City testifies 
loudly to the fact that the legislative authorities of the State of Illinois 
had early recognized the high value of public gardens and the sanitary 
benefits which large cities derive therefrom. 

Ample provision is made that onr parks, the " lungs" of this large city, 
are from year to year enriched by new charms and additional landscape 
scenery, thanks to the munificence of the people who every year pay many 
thousands of dollars into the treasury of tlie park commissioners. The fact 
is conceded Ijy all that the parks are a necessity for the health of the people 
and a means for their moral and tiestlietic education. 

Every human being, who has an open heart for the beauties and joys of 
nature is gladdened when he gives himself up to the agreeable influences of 
these shady groves, for they help him to forget and bear more easily the 
troubles and cares of every day life. Soothed and with new vigor of body 
and soul he returns to his accustomed occupation. 

What then could be offered to the masses in large cities, earning their 
daily bread in the sweat of their brow, that would be more pleasant and bene- 
ficial than the opportunity to spend their short hours of recreation iu the 
glorious temple of nature with its innocent and precious joys ? 

Of special value arc our parks to the people of Chicago on Sundays and 
Holidays. Then they pour into these lovely groves on foot and in carriages to 
enjoy there the cool shade of the trees, the sight of the many colored flower 
b.eds and the purer air. This is indeed a recreation for the toiling laborer and 
where else could it be found within his reach, but in these gardens which are 
so richly endowed by nature and art? And what a refreshing spring of health 
and pleasure these parks are for the children ! 

They indeed prove a great blessing to all the people, and especially to 
those who between Sundays and Holidays are huddled together in dingy 
quarters and are exercising and tasking all their strength to keep want from 
their threshold. The pure fresh air, laden with the fragrance of flowers, the 
elevating sight of the green meadows, the groves with their feathered song- 
sters, the flowers, and the ponds with the swiftly flying boats plowing their 
mirror-like surface, give new courage and hope to the faint hearts ; and the 
children of the poor classes, growing up amongst want and privations in un- 
healthy hovels, generally preys to disease during the hot days of summer, 
gather new strength here, and the refreshing air, faniiing their feverish cheeks, 
together with the sights of all the beauties of nature bring sunshine and joy 
to these little sick and feeble ones, and in many cases no doubt health again, 
too. 

Extraordinary exertions were made last year ( 1892 ) not only to give the 
several parks increased scenic charms but also to complete before the opening 
of the Exposition the chain of boulevards winding around the city as an 
incomparable beautiful cycle of green gardens. 

Mr. John Thorjie, who knows perhaps more about flowers than any otlier 
man in this coimtry and who for this reason was .selected as chief of floricult- 
ure by the Director-general of the World's Columbian Exposition, has the 
following to say in regard to our parks and their floral decorations: 



— 10 — 

" Owing in great part to its geographical position there is probably no city 
in the Union whose Public Parks are as varied and interesting as those of Chi- 
cago. Each Park has its well known individual features and distinct charac- 
teristics, the result of their having been planned and laid out in each case 
undL-r entirely different management. 

Humboldt Park is particularly rich in natural landscape and the leading 
feature of Lincoln Park is found in its superb water effects. Douglas and 
Gartield Park each have attractive features purely their own, while AVashing- 
ton Park probably derives its great popularity from the magnificent way in 
wliich temporary material, flowering and bedding plants, are shown during 
the spring, summer and autumn, of each year. 

1 am aware that the general work done in the Chicago Parks, and espec- 
ially that done by Mr. Fred Kanst, the Superintendent of Washington Park, 
has been criticized by writers in some of the leading publications of the country, 
but I feel that it is unjust to make such severe criticisms on work which is 
artistic in its way and no more counterfeit than is a portrait on canvas. I feel 
that many people would prevent children from seeing a chromo or a lithograph 
because their parents were not sufficiently rich to buy a Corot or a Turner pic- 
ture. It is a strange fact that of the hundreds of thousands of people, who 
visit the Chicago Parks, the large majority of them visit and linger most 
around tlie very features, which these so called critics condemn and it is in this 
vicinit}', that the grass is trodden down almost beyond recognition under the 
feet of the great masses of people, who gather there to enjoy these very effects; 
thus showing the great interest that is taken therein by the very people to 
whose pleasure and enjoyment it is the main purpose of the Public Parks to 
cater. 

It must be understood that there is a great deal of flower jilanting done 
that is as free from geometry as are natures groupings, so there is no fear of 
there being one class of work neglected to the advantage or disparagement of 
another." 

And the skillful florists of the several parks are determined to make a 
much finer show this year of flower decorations, than ever before. 

It is the purpose of this book not only to be a guide for the many World's 
Fair visitors to and through the parks and boulevards and its park-like ceme- 
teries, but also to furnish needed information regarding the beauties and 
peculiarities, the size and arrangements of these public gardens and the 
astonishing progress made in landscape gardening. With the conviction that 
such a description of our beautiful and much praised jiark and cemetery- 
system, as it is now seen in its perfection, is calculated to awaken interest in 
and strengthen the love for this beautiful city, which will in itself during 
1893 be the most wonderful and curious object on exhibition, this book is sul)- 
mitted to an indulgent public and to all friends of nature by 

The Autiiou. 




^CDi^ . 



Qur Beautiful Parks. 




Liiu'oln Park.— Kquestriiin Statue of General Grant. 



— 13 



LINCOLN PARK. 



All of our beautiful parks ,i,nve evidence, that their high sanitary value 
was already fully recognized at a time, when Chicago was yet numbered 
among the smaller cities of our country, but none enjoy greater popularity 
among the ]K'ople from abroad, as well as among those from our own city, as 
Lincoln Park, over on the North Side, where the foaming billows of mighty 
Lake ^lichigan break over the rocky beach of this magniticent stretch of park- 
laud and moisten it witli their spray. 

The first move made in the direction of establishing Lincoln Park is found 
in the records of the Council proceedings of 1860, where a memorial is found 
signed by George Manierre, William Jones, Benjamin W. Raymond, Walter 
L. Newberry, Grant Goodrich and Mark Skinner (those jnoneers and earliest 
workers for Chicago's present greatness, but who all now lie in their silent 
graves), stating that the cemetery, located then upon the 60 acres now forming 
the extreme southern part of the present park, was in a shamefully dilajjidated 
condition and petitioning the Mayor and the city authorities to carry out in 
good faith their pledges to the purchasers of lots, to use the fund arising from 
the sale of lots in improving and keeping in repair said cemetery, and also 
stating that " it is not desired that there should be any extension of the limits" 
of the then existing cemetery grounds, and asking for the appointment of a 
special committee to take immediate action in the matter. In accordance with 
the request contained in said memorial James Long and Benjamin Carjienter 
were appointed such special committee to examine into and report on the 
matter. Jan. 10, 1860, said committee reported that negotiations were then 
pending with the officers of the Rosehill Cemetery company for a section of its 
ground wherein to bury the dead falling under the city's charge, and also to 
insure a place of burial for the poor. It adds : ' It seems to have become a 
settled thing in the public mind that no further extension of the cemetery 
grounds wiihin the city limits be permitted." And it acknowledges the jus- 
tice of such sentiment as follows: "That it is the sacred duty of the city to 
live up to its pledges and to protect, improve, and save from delapidation the 
spot where the remains of our early settlers lie, in order that the citizens may 
have the fullest confidence in its permanency. And it is further ordered that 
the cemetery should not be permitted to extend beyond its then limits, and 
that the north sixty acres should remain unoccupied. 

It is stated in this letter that the ground i)urchased by the city comprises 
120 acres; that the south sixty acres only have been subdivided into lots and 
sold for cemetery purposes, and after other suggestions is the following: "We 
propose the abandonment of this tract (the nortli sixty acres) to the city to be 
used for a public ground, and such other public pur|)oses (if any) as the Com- 
mon Council may devote it to. We do not advise its sale; such a step we think 
would be unwise." 

On June 13, 1864, an ordinance was introduced in the city council by John 
M. Armstrong, of the then I8th ward, consisting of three sections as follows: 

1. That hereafter no bodies shall be buried in the Chicago cemetery, ex- 
cept in the lots which have been sold by the citJ^ 

2. All the north part of the Chicairo cemetery which has not been sur- 
veyed and divided into cemetery lots (iiere follows the description) is herel)j' 
set apart for and declared to be a public park, and shall be known l)y the 
name of . 

Sec. 3 provides, in substance, for the subdivision and sale of certain other 
property in the vicinity of the cemetery grounds, owned by the city, "the 
jiroceeds of Aviiich shall be applied to the improvement of a public park afore- 
said," etc. 



— 10 — 

The matter by the recouls appears to have stixxl iu this shape, it not 
appearing that any opposition was made; at least there is none to be found in 
the printtn:! records of the Common Council until Oct. 31. 1864. when it appears 
that Aid. Armstrong called the matter up. and after some controversy as to the 
third section the lirst and second sections were carrieil unanimously and the 
thinl section njected. and Aid. Holden moved that the blank in the second 
section be tilled in — ' Douglas Park." This was rejected by a vote of 14 to 9 
AKl. ^\\xximan moved tliat the park l>e named "Lake Park." and the said 
two sections were then so unanimously passed. 

Subsequently July 5. 1S65. the late Aid. Iver Lawson moved, that as the 
park on the lake front and Michigan Avenue was named " Liike Park" the said 
sixty acres of the cemetery gn^muds be known as "Lincoln Park.' which was 
unanimously carried. 

But the Armstrong onliuance prohibiting burials in the potters' lieM, was 
almost entirely disregarded, and since its passage some 533 bodies of paupers 
had Ixen buried there (sixty-three of them at the city's expense), so on Sept. 
4. of that year a n:»solution was intri.xluceil iu the Council, which was immedi- 
ately passed, onlering the proper authorities to attend to the rigid enforce- 
ment of s;\id ordinance in that regard. 

As a legal proposition, the rights of the lot holders under their purchases 
were inalienable and could not under ordinary circumstances be interfered 
with. April 2. lS6t>. a resolution to the Common Council was immediately 
adopted, appointing a special committee for the purpose uf consulting with 
the City Physician and other leading physicians as to the effect upon the gen- 
eral health of the city from the pn\ctice of burials iu the old cemetery and the 
Catholic Cemetery adjoining on the sc^uth.they Iviug so near our water supply, 
etc. Said committee shortly afterward reported in substance that as a sanitan,- 
measure all such burials should be prohibited as injurious to the public health, 
etc. Upon said report Alderman Proudfoot drew up and presentevl an ordi- 
nance as a sanitary measure, prohibiting all burials, extending such prohibi- 
tion to the entire limits of the City of Chicago, which was passeii by a vote of 
27 to 2, May '.iS. 1S66. This put" a stop to sill future burials within the limits 
of the City of Chicago, and as a matter of course created a great deal of dis- 
satisfaction among the majority of the purchasers of lots in the said cemetery. 

Finally the authorities got the s;\id lot owners' consent to the removal of 
all the Ixxiies interreti in tlieir lots in exchange for equally valuable lots in 
some one or other of the new cemeteries, and the tinal result was that said 
cemetery was almost entirely vacateil and banded over to the city for park 
purposes. 

Mr. W. C. Goudy. President of the Lincoln Park Board for the last live 
years, who has been connected.! with Lincoln Park either as attorney or com- 
missioner from the time of the passi\ge of the original park onlinance. took an 
active part in originating the park system in 1863. It so hapi>ened that on 
a visit to the grounds, which lay betwt'cn Center Street and Webster Ave., the 
idea occurred to him also, that the ground was suitable for a park and he accord- 
mgly examined the title of property and ascertaineil that it was not dedicated 
for a cemetery, but l>e!onged to the city by an absolute purchase, with a right 
to use it for any public purpose. He then pnx?ureil the active service of 
Voluntine C. Turner, who was then in the management of the north side street 
railroad, and. after having revised the ordinance, with his intiuence exertetl 
upon other aldermen in aid of the efforts made by Aklerman Armstrong, the 
onlinance was passed. 

But notwithstanding the prominent part the aforesitid gentlemen have 
taken in the matter of originating or promoting the Lincx)ln Park pn>ject. a 
great deal, if not most of the creilit is due to the old Board of Public Works, 
which came into existence in the year 1861. To prove this assertion it is only 
necessary to go back to the early 'rep<^>rts of this b«xiy and to select fnmi these 
the one submitted to the city ctmncil February 8th. 186*2. Here Commission 
ers John G. Gindele ( president of the li<ianl for four yetirs). Benjamin Car- 
penter and Fretierick Letz make the following statement in reference to the 
old citv cemetery: 



- ID — 

" Perhaps as general an interest will be felt in the work done in that part 
of the grounds, lying north of the cemetery proper, and whicli has not yet 
been subdivided into lots. Here are some 40 acres of public grounds of di- 
versified surface, bordering on the lake, covered with a young growth of wood, 
and affording to the city the promise oi nn attractive park, at a small expense. 
Without any large expenditure here, a good deal has been accomplished in 
giving the grounds an inviting appearance, and by trimming up and thinning 
the young trees, to secure a good growth and shape to such as are left stand- 
ing. A gate has been built in this part of the grounds, and several small 
bridges thrown across the county ditch tlowing through the grounds and dis- 
charging into the lake. Continuous drives will be made through the cemetery 
and park, and the (/rounds made a pleasant place of resort for parties eitJter walk- 
ing or riding. It is very desirable that these improvements should not be ar- 
rested here, and as the funds with which they have been made are nearly ex- 
hausted, that means be provided for their further progress." 

And again, looking through the report of the Commissioners under date 
April 1, 1863, a year previous to the time Alderman Armstrong introduced 
his park ordinance to the council, we find the following pointed reference made 
to the desirability of establishing a park on the site where Lincoln Park now 
is situated: "But little could be done for the park, as the appropriation was very 
meagre. It would, doubtless, gratify the citizens to see well ornamented the 
small amount of public grounds which the city has. We especially recommend 
that liberal provisions be made for laying out and improving the grounds to 
be used for a park at the north of the cemetery. It is desirable that a regular 
plan be determined on for ornamenting these grounds, and for drives and 
walks connecting with the cemetery and connecting streets and that an annual 
appropriation be made to carry it out. This park will have an extent of about 
fifty acres." 

This oasis in the busy metropolis of the west is situated only two miles 
distant from the Court House and is bounded on the east by Lake Michigan, 
on the north by Diversey Street, on the south by North Avenue and on the 
west by Clark Street. It is easily reached from the heart of the city by using 
the Clark or Wells Street Cable cars on their northward trips. Lincoln Park 
now contains over 300 acres, and is made all the more interesting through its 
many monuments of great and good men. The Park Board was created by 
an act of legislature in 1869, and four years later the condemnation proceedings 
were completed, the title to all the territory to be embraced within the parks 
except a small portion of the cemetery tract, acquired, and the Pine Street 
Drive w^as so far completed as to be opened for public use. In the original 
act E. B. McCagg, J. B. Turner, Joseph Stockton, Jacob Rehm and Andrew 
Nelson %fere named as the first Board of Commissioners. They met March 16, 
1869, and were organized by the election of E. B. McCagg as President. The 
time of the Board for the first year was mainly devoted to a topographical 
study of the territory to be embraced within the Park — preparing plans for 
future improvements, and starting the machinery which had been devised by the 
law. On the 26th of February, 187 1 , the Board suffered a serious loss by the death 
of Mr. John B. Turner, one of its most valued members. By an act of the Gen- 
eral Assembly approved June 16, 1871, provision was made for the appoint- 
ment of a new Board of Commissioners, a question having been raised as to 
the power of the legislature to name the Commissioners in the law. In Nov- 
ember, 1871, the Governor appointed as such Commissioners Samuel M. 
Nickerson, Joseph Stockton, Belden F. Culver, Wm. H. Bradley and Francis 
Kales, to succeed the Board which had been named in the original law. The 
first meeting of the new Board was held Nov. 28, 1871, and organized by the 
election of B. F. Culver as President. Under the administration of this Board 
proceedings were instituted for acquiring title to the various tracts of land 
embraced wuthin the limits of the Park. In February, 1874, Commissioners 
Nickerson, Bradley and Kales resigned, and the Governor appointed as their 
successors, F. H. Winston, A. C. Hesing and Jacob Rehm. At the meeting 
of the Board Feb. 24. 1874, B. F. Culver resigned as President and F. H. Win- 
ston was elected as President of the Board. 



— 20 — 

During the term of this Board, the condemnation proceedings were com- 
pleted. Commissioners Kehm and Ilesiug, who had done yeomen's service 
during tlie two years of their otiicial labors and to whose indefatigable energy 
and foresight the Park Board of that time was deeply indebted, resigned in 
July 1876, and tiie Governor appointed as tiieir successors, T. F. Withrow and 
L. .1. Kadish. Commissioner Culver resigned in June, 1877, and the Governor 
appointed Max Hjortsberg as his successor. 

Pursuant to the provisions of the original act, which contemplated, that 
Lincoln Park should be a City Park, the Board in 1869 applied to the Mayor 
of Chicago to issue the bonds of the city for an amount necessary for the pur- 
chase of the land to be embraced in the Park. The Mayor refusing to act in 
the matter, an application was made for a mandamus to compel the issue of 
the Bonds. The law being declared invalid, additional legislation became neces- 
sary, which by an act of the General Assembly approved June 16, 1871, author- 
izetl a special assessment to be made by the corporate authorities of the towns 
of Xortli Chicago and Lake View (within which towns the Park lies), on all 
lands deemed benetitted, for the enlargement and improvement of Lincoln 
Park. Pursuant thereto, an assessment was made in 1873 and contirmed by 
the Circuit Court. On an appeal to the Supreme Court an error was pointed 
out in the law which again compelled the Commissioners to invoke the power 
of the Legislature, anil ask that the law be amended in conformity with the 
decision of the Court. 

A special assessment as provided by an act approved Feb. 18, 1874, was 
made in July, 1875, by the Supervisor and Assessor of the town of North Chi- 
cago on all lots and lands in said town deemed benefitted by tiie proposed im- 
provement, and was sustained by the Supreme Court. Thus the Board had 
been enabled to secure the lands which are embraced within the limits of the 
Park. In the character of the improvements the various Boards have ever and 
successfully endeavored to keep the expenditures within their means, and have 
studiously avoided costly architectural display, preferring the simplest and 
most economical treatment consistent with good taste and the public require- 
ments. 

No Commissioner has at any time received any compensation for his ser- 
vices, nor have they derived any advantage, pecuniary or otherwise, from their 
connection with the Park Commission, except the pleasure realized from the 
public appreciation of their labors. 

The southern portion of the park was formerly used by the city as a bury- 
ing ground, and it became necessary of course to disinter the remains of those 
slumbering there and to remove them to Gracelaud and Rosehill Cemeteries. 

Not one of our parks, with the exception perhaps of the much smaller 
Union Park, over on the West Side, is so near to the business centr(? of the 
city as Lincoln Park, to which fact it is chiefly due that it receives the lion's 
share of strangers coming to the city. The parks in other cities being less cen- 
trally located, and not so convenient of access, are frequented largely by the 
wealthier classes, the visitors in carriages far outnumbering those on foot. 
Lincoln Park, bordered on three sides by a dense population and convenient of 
approach, is the daily resort of all classes of the community, the poor as well 
as the rich enjoying the pleasure it affords; the pedestrians far outnumbering 
those who ride. Without any of the advantages of diversified surface, fertility 
of soil, or natural shade possessed by I'arks elsewhere to aid in beautifying 
and improving the tract which the law has appropriated for the Bark, there 
has been a constant struggle to reduce the soil {if such tlte samii/ nxrface itKty 
be termed) to subjection, that the waste places might bloom. But it posses.'^es 
alsoanumber of attractive features, as yet lacking in the other jiarks of this 
city. To begin with, there is a very interesting and instructive zoological 
collection, then we have numerous monuments reared to statesmen, soldiers, 
men of letters, etc.; we can boast of an elcclric fountain of great splendour, a 
gift of Mr. Charles T. Yirkes, tiie President of the North and West Side 
Street Kaihvay Companii'S. and last but not least, the refreshing, cool breezes, 
wafted over the shady walks and drives from the glittering waters of Lake 
Michigan. 



— 23 — 

But the most excellent feature, calling forth the admiration of the throngs 
of visitors promenading through the park during the summer time, is the gor- 
geous array of beautiful flowers extending north from the Schiller statue to 
the new palm house. j\Ir. Charles Stromback, the ellicient and popular chief 
gardener of the park, is untiring in his efforts to please the i)ul)lic by showy 
and artistically arranged outdoor floral decorations. During the winter season 
he and his able start" of gardeners busy themselves with making ample provi- 
sions for the necessities of spring, when nature awakens to new life and ac- 
tivity. And then, w-hen the tulips, hyacinths and other flowery messengers of 
spring have ceased to bloom, Mr. Stromback forthwith begins with the distri- 
bution of summer flowers, which he arranges along the magniflcent exjjanse of 
lawns south of the palm house and elsewhere with praiseworthy skill and taste, 
whereupon he leaves it to kind mother earth and the sun's genial rays to carry 
his work to completion, to give the flowers further growth anil enchanting 
beauty. 

Here are to be seen the most lovely children of flora planted in long ser- 
pentine beds or in the shape of gaudy rugs and carpets. Of such carpet beds 
there are several that deserve close scrutiny on the part of the interested saun- 
derer, as they are indeed to be classed among the best creations of artistic flori- 
culture. Tlie tinest specimens may be found at both ends of the Bates foun 
tain. Flowers in bewildering variety, velvety lawns, catalpa-trees, mighty 
vases and foliage plants, all combine to make the prospect one of rare beauty. 
Here it is where Mr. Stromback has used his skill to the best effect, and here 
it is where will be found many of the old favorites — pansies, geraniums, col- 
lodium, verbenas, heliotrope, pinks, single chrysanthemum, linum grandi- 
florum, gilliflowers, gladiolus, roses, larkspur, cock's-comb, daisies, balsam, 
petunia's, etc. Following the winding path we come to the aforesaid Bates 
fountain which forms the centre of this floral exhibition. It was presented to 
the people of Chicago by the lamented philanthropist, Eli Bates, and may be 
described as follows: In a circular basin, walled with granite, sportive boys — 
half flsh, half human — are frolicking. Graceful swans join in the sport and 
shower water over the laughing youngsters and their finny prizes. In the cen- 
ter rises a clump of bullrusheswith their slender, graceful leaves. The design 
is harmonious — it is the work of Augustus St. Gauden.s — and of merit. South 
of the fountain, at the southern boundary of the flower garden, stands the fam- 
ous figure of Germany's great poet, Friedrich Schiller. This fine monument 
was donated to the park and the people by the German-American citizens of 
Chicago through one of their leading associations — the Swabian Society. The 
statue is a noble work and well exemplifies the greatness of the German thinker 
and writer. 

The unveiling of this monument took place on Saturday, May 15, 1886. 
Originally the ninth day of May, the anniversary of Schiller's death, had been 
decided upon as thfe date for the unveiling ceremonies, but the excitement pre- 
vailing at that time among all classes of our population, in consequence of the 
anarchistic bomb throwing at the Haymarket, made a postponement impera- 
tively necessary. Notwithstanding the inclemenc}^ of the weather on May 
15, the Germans of Chicago and vicinity turned out in great masses to do 
honor to the occasion and to participate in the dedicatory exercises in Lincoln 
Park, where the large throng, sheltered under an extensive black roof of open 
umbrellas, patiently listened to the able speeches and the soul-inspiring songs 
of the united German singing societies. The oration of the day was delivered 
by Mr. Wilhelm Rapp, Editor in chief of the Illinois Staats Zeitung; the other 
speakers were Carter H. Harrison, then Mayor of Chicago, and Mr. Julius 
Rosenthal, Chairman of the Monument Committee. 

The Swabiftn Society started the movement that led to the erection of this 
monument in the month of November, 1880, and nearly four years later, on 
September 1, 1884, a committee of German Citizens was appointed for the pur- 
pose of collecting the funds needed to complete the sum that was necessary 
to pay for the monument and to carry to a successful termination the noble 
work begum by the Swabian Society. On January I, 1884, there were on 
hand already $3,022 for this purpose, and it did not take the committee a very 



— 24 — 

long time to luring the enterprise to a highly satisfactory issue. The Com- 
mittee consisted of the following well known Germans: Franz Amberg, 
August Bauer, Franz Demmler, Hermann De Vry, Emil Dietzsch, Edward S. 
Dreyer, Joseph Frank, Carl Haerting. C. E. Heiss, Pliil. Ilenne, A. C. Ilesing, 
Arnold Holinger, Louis Huck, Theodor Karls, Francis Lackner, Andrew C. 
Leicht, T. J. Lefens, Leopold Mayer, Fridolin IMadlener, C. C. MiJller, Louis 
Nettelhorst, Georg Priissing, Julius Rosenthal, Harry Rubens, Dr. Rudolph 
Seiffert, Max Stern, Gustav Stieglitz, Jos. Schoninger, Frank Wenter, Geo. A. 
Weiss and Ludwig WollT. 

The corner stone of the foundation was laid on Nov. 11, 1885, and six 
months later the statue formed one of the grandest and most interesting sights 
in Lincoln Park. It was cast by Wm. Pelargus, of Stuttgart, Germany, and is 
an exact copy of the Schiller statue in Marbach, which was cast from a bust 
modelled from life by the celebrated sculptor Dannecker. The chief excel- 
lence of the Schiller statue in Lincoln Park is found in its wonderful artistic 
simplicity. It is 10 feet high and must be .seen to be appreciated. Tlie unveil- 
ing ceremonies were very impressive, notwithstanding the rain and were wit- 
nessed by over 10,000 people, among which were, no less than sixty dillerent 
German societies and lodges. After the exercises in the open air and rain had 
been concluded, a banquet took place in the Refectory, where more s])eeches 
were delivered and where the celebrated German Gemuethlichkeit reigned 
supreme. 

North of the palm house stands the colossal figure of Linnaeus, which was 
presented to the park l)y the countrymen of the great botanist and was unveiled 
May 23, 1891. The first actual step was taken when the Linnean Monument 
Association was organized and incorporated. An executive committee of 45 
persons was appointed at the same time. This committee issued a call to the 
Swedes of America asking for contributions, but as the responses were few 
and far between, it soon became apparent that the Swedish residents of Chi- 
cago had either to abandon the project or perform the task themselves unaided 
by outsiders. The greater part of the funds expended has consequently been 
raised in this city, partly by liberal subscriptions and partly through picnics 
and other public entertainments, in which the secidar Swedish societies have 
shown much interest by making considerable contributions in the way of patron- 
age. The first president of the monument association was Mr. J. A. Enander, 
who was succeeded by Mr. Robert Lindblom, to whose pluck and push a good 
deal of the early success must be ascribed. The monument is a very credit- 
able work of art. The model was made by C. J. Dufverman in Stockholm, 
where, too, the statue was cast by Otto Meyer and Co. The cost of the whole, 
as it now stands on a pedestal of granite shipped from Maine is $15,000. Kut 
there are to be added four figures representing as many different sciences, viz.: 
botany, medicine, chemistry and zoology, in all of which Linne had extensive 
knowledge. When thus finished there will have been expended about $23,000. 
These allegorical figures will, it is expected, be ready and put in their proper 
places within a very short time. The statue is 39 feet high from the base to 
the apex. The height of tlie figure is 14^ feet. When complete, the monu- 
ment will be an exact counterpart of the Linne monument erected in Stock- 
holm some years ago. 

Those of the Directors of the Monument Association, who deserve special 
mention" for liberality in casli contributions and untiring efforts during the four 
years that elapsed since the work was commenced are — Robert Lindblom, And- 
rew Chaiser, P. S. Peterson, L. G. Ilallberg, C. O. Carlson, F. A. Lindstrand, A. 
E. Johnson, Nils Anderson, August Jernberg, Victor Rylauder, Lawrence 
Hesselroth, O. F. Vidman, Chas. Eklund, Alexander J. Johnson and many 
others. 

The unveiling ceremonies were preceded by a large procession. The pre- 
sentation speech was delivered by Mr. Robert Lindblom and the speech of ac- 
ceptance by the President of the Lincoln Park Board. Mayor Washburne fol- 
li)wed witli a few remarks and then gave way to Mr. C. F. Peterson, who re- 
cited a poem written for tlu; occasion. The orator of the day was Mr. John 
A. Enander, who spoke in Swedish. After the conclusion of the dedication 



— 27 — 

ceremonies the vast throng adjourned to Thielemann's svimmer resort just out- 
side the northern boundaries of the i^ark, wliere the celebration of the day- 
was continued. Among those who spoke there were Robert Lindblom, C. F. 
Peterson, Kev. H. Lindskog and Dr. Frithjof Larson. As Secretary of the 
]Monument Association, Mr. Lawrence Hcsselroth has rendered valuable scr- 
\ices, and so has Mr. Louis Widestrand in the cai)acity of Financial Secretary. 
(3thers who have displayed much enthusiasm and sacriticed time and money 
in the entcrpri.se arc L. F. Hussandcr, Richard Lindgren, Nils Anderson, Gus- 
tavo Svenson, Chas. Stromback, liead gardener of Lincoln Park, P. A. Sunde- 
lius, S. A. Freeman, and many more. 

At the southern end of the park the statue of the great and good Abraham 
Lincoln is the dominant attraction. The surroundings of this monumental 
work seem to have been arranged with no other object than to embrace its beau- 
tics. It faces Korth Avenue and isapproached by a winding drive which circles 
from both the Clark Street and the Lake Shore Drive entrances. A concourse 
is placed before it where carriages can assemble, while the occupants view the 
tigure of the great emancipator at their leisure. Augustus St. Gaudens was 
the sculptor. The cost of this great work was about $40,000. Tlie late Eli 
Bates presented it to the park, and the expense was borne by his estate. 

Among the other monuments which adorn this lovely park, the equestrian 
statue of General Grant attracts the most attention. The demonstration attend- 
ing the formal dedication of this monument October 7, 1891, was a very ini- 
po.sing affair and the exercises throughout were of a character thorough]}' in 
keeping witli the dignity of the occasion. The parade and the naval display 
off Lincoln Park were witnessed by many thousands of people, and the oratory, 
which was heard by comparatively few of the great multitudes that were out 
for the day, was of a character to command attention and respect. Judge 
Gresham's tribute to the old commander was comprehensive, appreciative and 
in entire good taste, while the other speakers performed the duties assigned 
to them in a manner that left nothing to be desired. 

The monument to Grant was designed for the soldiers of the army whose 
tattered flags fluttered about the pedestal on that memorable day. The face 
that looked over the troubled flood of Lake Michigan as the descending sun 
broke from the clouds and painted the dancing waters, was not the face of 
Grant in his later and weaker hours. But it was the face the veterans had 
seen years ago when trudging over the dusty roads of Tennessee and Virginia, 
when they turned to cheer the iron man who was to lead them to victory. He 
sat then as the bronze sits now, firmly astride his horse, plain almost to a ])oint 
of affectation in his dress — the army coat that covered his sturdy frame as 
threadbare as theirs, the worn slouched hat a rebuke to the frippery of the 
staff. His face in the statue is the face of that day — a firm and dogged face; 
the eyes intent under the gathered brow as if watching the smoke of the skir- 
mish lines, the lips compressed, the firmness of the jaw showing through the 
rough beard. 

Something of affectation for Grant, who sprang from the good soil of nor- 
thern Illinois; something of pride in the fact that Chicago was first of the great 
towns of America to unveil a fit monument to the hero, and something of tlie 
popular love of holiday parades and bands, combined to choke the streets along 
the lake with the greatest crowd in memory. It was not only Ciiicago — 
although more than half the town turned out to block the line of march and 
surge across the meadows of Lincoln Park — but from early morning crowded 
trains drew to the city the population of the suburbs for hiuidreds of miles. 
They were the preliminary shower that was afterwards lost in the downpour 
when the floodgates of the city were loosened. 

More than two hundred tliousand people lined Michigan Avenue and the 
cross streets from Park Row to the river to see the great pageant, unquestion- 
ably the popular feature of the Grant Memorial Day. Neither rain nor mud 
deferred the vast crowd from standing for fully four hours wedged in tlie jam 
such as onl}' Chicago and the much abused and yet famous lake front ♦•an jiro- 
duce. Along the east side of tlie regatta course in Lincoln Park, for nearly 
half a mile, and in tlie meadow that lies about the monument, 500,000 people 



— 28 — 

had gatliered. On the banks of the boat course they sat in tiers as about an 
amphitheatre, making a foreground of changing line — as the mass of faces 
turned in the sunlight — for the fleet bobbing at anchor in the surge. The 
roughness of the day prevented a great naval display, but the revenue cutters 
and steamers, tlaming with the colors at their yards, and rising, falling and 
swinging with the swell, were impressive. It is not given to the widow of 
every soldier or statesman, however great he may have been, to witness hun- 
dreds of thousands assembled to do homage to the memory of a loved husband. 
It was a wondrous sight that met the gaze of Mrs. Grant as she drove out from 
the residence of Potter Palmer to take her place in the fourth division of the 
procession as the most distinguished of the goodly array of distinguished 
guests. Dressed in black and wearing glasses, Mrs. Grant looked highly 
pleased at the warm reception she received from the assembled thousands. 
Drawn by two handsome roans and with the coachman and footman in livery, 
Potter Palmer's carriage took up its position on the right of the leading four 
carriages of tlie division. Alongside Mrs. Grant was seated the popular Presi- 
dent of the Board of Lady Managers of the World's Fair, Mrs. Potter Palmer, 
looking radiant and pleased at the reception given her honored guest. In the 
carriage also were Ulysses Grant and Potter Palmer. All along the route Mrs. 
Grant was warmly cheered and she responded by bowing and smiling. 

Mr.Edward S. Dreyer, the well-known German- American banker; Ex-Presi- 
dent of the Real Estate Board of Chicago, and at that time also Chairman of 
the Board of Trustees of the Grant Monument Association, had the high honor 
conferred upon him to preside over this gigantic meeting. He opened the 
ceremonies with a neat little speech, antl then introduced Rev. Bishop New- 
man, who invoked divine blessing on the day's undertaking and the people 
assembled. The principal oration was delivered by Judge Gresliam, while 
shorter speeches were made by Mr. Edward S. Taylor, the popular Secretary 
of the Board of Lincoln Park Commissioners and Mayor Washburne, 

As the last speaker stepped from the stand Chairman Dreyer declared that 
the exercises were over. But he raised his hand as the people began to move 
away and introduced Louis F. Rebisso, the sculptor, who threw all the strength 
of his genius into the statue which now stands for aye in Lincoln Park. The 
old soldiers cheered heartily for the man who had mouldetl the form of their 
loved general. Cries for a speech from the sculjitor made those turn back 
who were going away. But Mr. Rebisso shook his head and declined to speak. 

Two hours after the death of General U. S. Grant, July 23, 1885, Potter 
Palmer had subscribed $5,000 to a monument fund, and before the evening of 
the fourth day after the General's death nearly $43,000 had been raised. 
This was the remarkable beginning of one of the most spontaneous and popu- 
lar memorials ever offered by a people. While New York rode up the Hudson 
drive to a vacant knoll where Grant's monument was to have overlooked the 
great river bend, the people of Chicago were gathered around the largest and 
finest bronze statue of the kind ever cast in America, commemorating with un- 
covered heads the life of that greatest of soldier statesmen. 

At no time in the history of the .statue association was there the slightest 
difficulty in securin gsabscriptions. A committee of citizens were selected to 
receive money's in various ways and from the different classes, industries 
and societies of the city. This committee was as follows: 

Henry Towner, Jacob Grommes, S. B. Raymond, 

J. D. Harvey, T. J. Lefens, M. Selz, 

Norman Williams, II. W. Fuller, Joseph Charles, 

George II. Rozet, C. Henrotin, Edward Rose, 

Thomas F. Cunningham, George Schmidt, Joan Grosse, 

C. B. Farwell, Robert Lindblom, Charles Kern, 

J. T. McAidev, E. F. Cragin, Charles H. Wacker, 

W. T. Joimson, S. N. Jewett, J. B. Sullivan, 

Louis Wampold, I'. E. Stanley, M. Schweisthal. 

Henry Wieland, P. P. Hey wood. 

Another committee was created as a board of trustees and to oversee the 




The Liniie Monument iu Lincoln Park. 



— al — 

designing and erecting of the memorial. Tliis committee or hoard was chosen 
as follows; 

E S. Dreyer, J. McGregor Adams, Samuel M. Nickerson, 

William E. Strong, Norman Williams, Joseph Stockton. 

Potter Palmer, Edward S. Taylor, 

Wlieu the fund was complete it amounted to about $65,000. Many differ- 
ent memorials were advocated before the committee, and it was only after long 
discussion that the present base and statue were decided upon. General Scho- 
tield wished a simple figure of Grant, supporting his desire by the homely and 
noble sentiment, that Grant needed no compliment. Mr. Rebisso, the sculptor, 
made first a drawing and then a model before his design for a tigure was 
accepted. Had not Mr. Rebisso been ill for nearly a year and the first casting 
by M. j\I. Mossman, of Chicopee, Mass., been defective, the work would have 
been finished long before. 

The statue combines grace and grandeur. It has force and solidity. The 
pedestal and base of Ilallowell granite are majestic. This foundation was de- 
signed by F. M. Wiiitehousc of Chicago. Mr. Rebisso modeled the general 
sitting finely and easily in the saddle, holding the reins in the left hand and 
grasping a field glass in the right. The right hand is lowered to the thigh and 
the pose of tlie body suggests a careful survey of the field. The purpose is to 
convey Grant's concentration of mind; his confidence in fortune, his officers 
and men, and his own self reliance. It is 18 feet and 3 inches from the bottom 
of the plinth to the crown of the slouch hat. The location of the statue was 
chosen out of regard for popular sentiment. The larger subscribers preferred 
to have it stand in the northern section, but when they discovered that the 
people preferred it to stand on the lake shore near the southern end, the larger 
subscribers at once submitted. 

Then there was erected a few years ago a life-size statue to the explorer, 
Robert La Salle. It was donated by Hon. Lambert Tree and was designed 
by De La Laing, a noted Belgian Sculptor. And on a hill located between 
the lower park lake and the Lake Shore Drive is the celebrated Ryersou monu 
ment, an Indian group in bronze. The figures are those of an Indian, with 
his wife, child and dog, on the alert, as if watching the approach of a stranger, 
not yet declared a foe, but still too remote to give assurance of friendly design. 
The pedestal which supports this group is in complete harmony with the 
bronze. Panels descriptive of various phases of Indian life are attached to 
the square support on which the group rests. The whole effect is realistic in 
the extreme. On the pedestal is the following inscription: 

TO THE 

OTTAWA NATION OF INDIANS, 

my early friends, 

Presented by Martin Ryerson. 

Samuel Johnston, a well-known Chicagoan, who died a few years ago, left 
instructions to his executors to expend $10,000 for a statue of Shakespeare to 
be placed in the park. 

East of the imposing palm house, on a hill, are located the greenhouses. 
Here the work of propagating the hundreds of thousands of bedding plants 
that are to decorate the park in the summer months goes on "while nights are 
dark and snows are white." Here are designed the i>lans for ornamental beds. 
The greenhou.se is of course under the supervision of Mr. C. Stromback. His 
work is important, surely. He has able competitors in the various parks of 
the otiier divisions of the city, and to see to it that Lincoln Park does not lag 
behind in the race for fioral excellence, keeps his brain and his hands bu.sy. 
All the buildings are connected and under one njof — if the conventional affair 
of iron and glass that covers a conservatory can be properly designated as such. 
The ))ropagaling houses describe themselves in their na'mc. Here are found 
countless foliage plants in little pots, (lu])licated from one another, as they out- 
grow their linuts, and constantly increasing in number. Tlie household iavor- 



— 32 — 

ites are here — all of them, as well as the varieties peculiar for their oddity as 
well as beauty. 

Besides all this wealth and beauty of flowers, 'which must be seen to be 
appreciated, Lincoln Park has to offer another rare attraction upon its floral 
domain, namely, two lily ponds. These are situated iu the eastern portion of 
the park, north of the waterworks, and they form, in a decidedly prominent 
degree, an object of genuine and unstinted admiration. This feature is a wel- 
come novelty ana deserves the highest praise. 

Excepting in New York, no attempt has been made in public parks of 
this country outside of Chicago to display with fullness the strange beauty of 
the gorgeous specimens of lilies, that make the rivers and pools of the tropics 
their home. Everyone has heard of the Victoria Kegia. or Amazon lily, tlie 
leaves of wliich are six feet in diameter, with blossoms fourteen inches wide. 
But not everyone has seen a specimen of this giant lily. 

The lily basins have been constructed after the most approved plans. 
Warmtli, shelter from high winds, and sunshine are necessary to ensure suc- 
cess. These requisites have been found in the little valley in which the pools 
are located. A bird's-eye view of the two pools, when stocked and with their 
plants in bloom, will furnish a pleasure to which the western sense is unused. 

There are numerous specimens of the genus Nymphaea represented, the 
most celebrated of which unquestionably is tlie Victoria Regia. This great 
lily, if properly protected, can be grown and flowered in the open air. When 
first open, the flowers are pure white and produce an odor of rare fragrance, 
which can best be compared to the flavor of the pineapple. After the first 
night the .flowers change to a {)ink tint, lose their fragrance, and after living 
through another day they slowly sink into the water, there to ripen their seed. 
A new variety of the Victoria Regia, of which a specimen will doubtless be 
obtained, is crimson flowered. This plant is more robust than tlie wliite 
flowered Victoria, and the young leaves are of a dark bronze color. The flow- 
ers of this new variety are white on the day of opening, but change to a dark 
crimson color later. 

The niglit-blooming water lilies — seven kinds — open their flowers after 
dark, beginning at about six o'clock and remaining expanded until about the 
same time next morning. The flowers appear on stalks elevated ten or twelve 
inches above the surface of the water. Tlie Nymphtea Devoniensis is one of 
the choicest of the night-1)looming lilies. In one season a single plant will 
cover a circle twenty feet across, witli leaves twenty-five inches in diameter 
and flowers that are a foot from tip to tip of petals Tlie Nympluea Devon- 
iensis can be successfully dwarfed, if it is desired. The leaves are green with 
serrated edges. Tlie blossoms, rose red with scarlet stamens, appear to great 
advantage by artificial light. We see here the Nympliaea Tuberosa and the 
Odorata Rosa, whose home is in North America; tlie lotus plants are of Egyp- 
tian origin, the Nymphaea Candidissima is of English origin, tiie Flava came 
from Florida, the dwarf water lily from China, the N. Devoniensis from India, 
the Zanzibarensis and Dentata from Africa. The N. Sturtevanti, a new semi- 
double, red water lily, is a very fine plant. Its foliage is of a light bronze 
color, approaching crimson. The N. Rubra is also a native of India and it 
somewhat resembles the N. Devoniensis. 

It must not be supposed that all the beauties of tiie lily ponds, with tlieir 
abundance of glorious water ])lants, can be seen at one visit. Fretiuent trips 
must be made, including night excursions, when electric lights will shod their 
lustre on the night blooming lilies. Many other plants besides water lilies are 
grown in and around the ponds. Water Hyacinths, Sagittarias, ornamental 
rushes and gra.sses, with the curious floating Stratoitis and otiier interesting 
forms of plant life, fill up the spaces not covered by the shield-like leaves of 
the Nymphaea's, making altogether a grand display either by day or under 
the electric iiglits. 

Another delightful spot is the "mall,"' north of the Lincoln monument, 
which extends for a ([uarter of a mile in a northerly direction and teriniuates 
in the lower artificial park lake. Here the pedestrian rules supreme. Bor- 
dered with beds of flowers, beyond which extend lawns of velvety softness, the 



— 35 — 

mall offers as enjoyable a promenade as could be wished. Here, as in the space 
between the greenhouses and the Schiller statue, the gardener's art is seen at 
its best. Carefully trimmed and well cared for beds of flowers lend color to 
the view as they shed fragrance abroad. Viewed from the mall, the lower 
lake presents ou a bright summer day an animated scene. Pleasure boats ply 
here and there, laden with happy oarsmen and their friends. The Swans have 
chosen for their home an island in the lower lake. Their graceful forms, as 
they float about in the water, are a pleasure to the eye. 

Before we turn away from the floral displays of IMr. Stromback to other 
spots of interest and delight, we will take a walk through the i)alm houSe just 
lately tinished. This floral palace has, with the exception of the horticultural 
hall lit the World's Fair grounds, no peer in this entire land of ours. It is of 
imposing dimensions, with its mighty arched glass roof and its gigantic pro- 
portions throughout. The palm house proper is 156 feet long and 90 feet 
wide: its height is 50 feet The conservatory, connected with the main build- 
ing, is 96 feet long, 31 feet wide and 21 feet high, and the other addition, ex- 
tending north from the paim house proper, giving shelter to a rare collection 
of orchids, measures 100 feet in length and 30 feet in width. To this complex 
of buildings another, a fernery, was added at the northeast corner. With 
the exception of the foundation walls, none of these buildings contain any 
other material than glass and steel, so that the light of day has full sway. 

In the heating of this fine building some comparatively new features are 
introduced. The hot water method has been adopted, radiating coils of one 
and a quarter inch pipes will be concealed in chambers behind rock work. 
The radiating pipe service is arranged in independent sections and each sec- 
tion controlled by an automatic heat regulating device. The boilers being 
distant from the palm house about 350 feet, leave the palm house range in its 
beautiful lines clear from suggestion of shed or factory. The floor grade of 
the house is established at a point six and one-half feet above the lawn surface. 
Broad terraces surround the building ou three sides. The frout terraces com- 
mand a good view of the flower garden, a broad handsome walk and stairways 
lead the visitor from the flower garden up the slopes of the terraces to the 
front entrance of the palm house; the plants are arranged in natural positions, 
branches, flower pots and tubs are banished. A winding path leads round a 
rocky point, then again across an open space, every turn revealing some new 
beauty, wliile from certain points the whole may be taken in at a general view. 
By planting out in the soil bed greater luxuriance of growth will be obtained, 
the plants will the sooner produce an effect proportional to the magnificence of 
their home. Harmonious arrangements of rocks were introduced to give 
character to the surface of the soil. Tall palms, cyeads, tree-ferns and bam- 
boos rear aloft their heads, while below are seen the shade loving ferns, mosses 
and other beautiful forms of plant life, and from truss and column hang climb- 
ers of many kinds, some of beautiful foliage, and others covered with flowers, 
twining atnong the iron of the structure and covering it with a luxuriant tropi- 
cal growth, blending the whole into a natural grouping of Nature's loveliest 
forms. 

The conservatory will be used for exhihition of jilants from temperate 
climes, or of plants of beautiful foliage or graceful habit of growth, requiring 
temperate conditions of heat. The fernery is striking and effective in some of 
its features; the design for the interior takes the form of a rocky dell with a 
glass roof. A cascade was introduced, the water tumbling from rock to rock 
into a pool at the bottom, wliile on ledges, in fissures, or on the faces of the 
moss covered rocks, are planted the various beautifid forms of the fern family. 

And now we will take a glance at some of the most important improve- 
ments accomplished within the last few years, namely the extensive work along 
the lake shore, consisting of nothing less than the building of a sea wall and 
beach, which has been carried forward under the efficient supervision of the 
park Stiperintendent, J. A. Pettigrew. This improvement became necessary 
to protect the shore along the park against the inroads of Lake IMichigan. The 
Fitz Simons and Connell Company, in 1874. built the first substantial break- 
water, commencing at Oak Street and running to North Avenue. Upon this 



— 3G — 

structure, cut down (at the suggestion of General Fitz Simons to Commissioner 
Adams in 1886). the present sea wall was built. The breakwater running 
north from North Avenue, the present new heacli improvement, was con- 
structed by the above named tirm in conjunction with the Green Dredging Co. 
and tlie Chicago Dredging and Dock Co. 

Commeucmg with a breakwater at Bellevue Place and running northward, 
a large tract was taken from Lake Michigan, making possible the extension of 
the Lake Shore Drive south to Oak Street; at North Ave. the scope of the work 
was extended, the breakwater was curved further out into the lake, until the 
plan as at present outlined, embraces on a frontage included within the park 
the reclamation from Lake Michigan of ul)out 140 acres. 

In 1886 the work of construction of the sea wall began, according to the 
plans of Major T. II. Handbury. Engineer Corps, U. S. A. The piling of the 
breakwater was sawn off below water line, a platform of three inch oak plank 
was laid across from front to back, and the work of casting the Imge blocks 
of concrete commenced: the magnilicent blocks, each weighing uearlyten tons, 
and formed out of the "'Germania" brand of Portland cement, were added one 
to the other, until in the fall of 1888 there stood on the breakwater an unbroken 
line (.extending from Bellevue to Burton Place), 2,889 feet long and 10 feet 
high, presenting a massive front to the storms of Lake ^Michigan. 

The paved beach work commences at North Ave. and is constructed from 
designs by Capt. W. H. 3Iarshall, Engineer Corps. U. S. A.: excepting the 
dredging and pile driving, all the work has been done by park employees. 
The breakwater facing this improvement seaward is constructed of two rows 
of close pile work. 10 feet in width from outside to outside. The lakeward 
row is faced to landward with close 3 inch oak-sheeting bolted to a lix4 oak 
wale, and the landward side of the landward row of piles faced landward with 
Waketield patent sheet piling, the breakwater being tilled with stone and sawn 
off to a point 10 inches above lake level. Landward from the breakwater rises 
the paved beach 48 feet wide, rising 1 foot in 8. then rising by two steps of 
one foot each to a promenade of 16 feet in width, which is further llanked on 
the landward side by a parapet of two steps rising from each side, the base 
being four feet six inches wide and the top two feet wide; landward of the 
promenade and parallel with it is a driveway 45 feet in width, and from thence 
to the inner lake or rowing course a sloping turf-covered bank planted with 
trees and shrubs. The character of the work is of the most substantial descrip- 
tion, the pavement of the beach being composed of granite blocks eight inches 
in depth, laid on a bed of concrete six inches in depth, while the joints are run 
with Portland cement grouting. The promenade and parapets are of the 
finest grade of granite beton on Portland cement concrete base. The ilriveway 
is granite faced with granite block and granite betim curbs and gutters. For 
connection across the inlet a swing or drawbridge was built, so that after con- 
verting Fullertou Ave. pier into a bridge connecting with the park, the drive 
from North Ave. along the beach to the park at FuUerton Ave. becomes con- 
tinuous and uninterrupted. 

The zoological garden forms one of the most attractive features the park 
possesses, and the mecca during each returning season of many thousands of 
children and adults. At the present writing it numbers among its numerous 
inhabitants the following: 2 African lions, 1 tlying fox, 5 monkeys, 2 tigers. 

2 leopards, 5 pumas. 2 wild cats, 1 lynx, 3 wolf-hounds. 2 wolfs. 22 fo.xes, 1 
ferret, 1 wild-cat, 4 badgers, 1 otter, 13 bears, among which are 2 brown, 7 
black, 2 grey and 2 cinnamon-colored, 12 coons, 143 squirrels, 4 opossums. 1 
sea-lion. 22 white rats. 5 beavers. 2 porcupines. 10 wood-cocks, 20 guinea-jugs, 
24 rabbits and hares. 50 prairie dogs, 10 buffaloes, 1 wild goat. 15 cashmere 
goats. 7 mooses or elks. 1 fallow-deer, 11 Virginia roes. 1 lama. 1 elephant. 1 
elk. 1 jaguar, 1 Turkish eagle. 17 eagles, 7 buzzards, IS owls, 3 magpies, 4 
parrots, 3 cockatoos, 12 ring-doves, 19 peacocks, 3 pheasants. 4 iiuails, 2 cranes, 

3 hawks. 11 white geese, 7 white swans, 3 pelicans, 20 turtles. 15 crocotliles, 
2 lizards, 3 rattle snakes and 1 land turtle. 

During the Spring of 1^78 the Board converted the pier at North Avenue 
to the uses of a Floating Hospital; constructing proper guards and appropriate 



I 





— 39 — 

shelter for little children. Upwards of five thousand ailing children visited 
this resort annually and found health in the refreshing breezes from the lake. 
In some instances mothers have come with their babes at sunrise and tarried all 
day. A steamer made regular trips between the city and the pier during the 
season. Medical attendance, competent nurses and pure milk were furnished 
by the Floating Hospital Association. This floating hospital was abandoned 
some years ago, but since that time a much larger and more useful one has been 
established by the managers of the "Daily News" Fresh Air Fund. This sani- 
tarium can be found near the lake shore at the foot of Belden Avenue. The 
present Commissioners of Lincoln Park are: Wm. C. Goudy, President; Charles 
S. Kirk, John V. Clark, jr., R. A. Waller and August Heuer; E. S. Taylor, is 
the Secretary and C. J. Blair, Treasurer. 




New Palm House in Lincoln Park. 



40 



THE SOUTH PARK SYSTEM. 



In the year 1865 there was some talk of establishing a public Park some- 
where in tlie South Division of Cliicago, but the proposition did not assume 
detinite shape till the Autumn of 1860. Prior to the meeting of the General 
Assembly several meetings were held at which the question was discussed. It 
was thought advisable to make the effort. The City had no old Cemetery to 
donate, and the laud for the Park would have to be purchased outright. The 
gentlemen most prominent at that time in the agitation of the question were 
Tliomas Hoyne, Governor William Bross, J. Y. Scammon, H. H, Honore, Paul 
Cornell, J. Irving Pierce, L. B. sidway, Chauncey T. Bowen, Judge John M. 
Wilson, John D. Jennings. 

Governor Bross was very enthusiastic about it. lie had made the ac- 
quaintance of Fred Law Olmsted, the great American land.scape artist, who 
had made a wonderful success of Central Park, New York, and the "Deacon", 
as he was then called infused much sentiment into the scheme. There was a 
beautiful tract of land known as Egandale, lying west of Cottage Grove Ave- 
nue, and north of 55th St. which through the sentiment and enterprise of the 
late Dr. William B. Egan had become almost a perfected Park. It was 
planted abundantly with evergreens and other trees, was laid out with beauti- 
ful drives and in a general way was looked upon by the public as a desirable 
"catch" for Park purposes. Ezra B. McCagg, partner of Mr. Scammon, pre- 
pared a bill for the establishment of a Park, which substantially absorbed 
"Egandale." The 25th General Assembly convened in January, 1867, and 
the bill was duly introduced. But opposition was manifested at once. The 
estate of Dr. Egan had by foreclosures, substantially passed into the control 
of the Smith's of Chicago and the Drexel's of Philadelphia, and accordingly 
there appeared on the scene as representatives of those interested, Mr. Norman 
Williams and Mr. Norman C. Perkins, gentlemen well .selected to protect their 
clients' interests. The Egandale interests wanted a Park, but wanted no part 
of Egandale taken. They wanted Egandale to front on the Park, all around, 
or on as many sides as possible. The outsiders did not want their land taken, 
but were very desirous Egandale should be, for as they said, it was already a 
Park. The general public looked on with various degrees of interest. Some 
favored Egandale, some opposed any park scheme. Some said Egandale was 
too far away from the city ( !) The Press expressed all kinds of opinions — there 
were many battles fought, all harmless, but there was sufficient confusion and 
quarreling to bring matters to a dead-lock. At last a conference was held at 
the Leland House one Saturday evening. It was a circus. Besides the curious 
lookers on, there were present Chauncey Bowen, S. S. Hayes, H. H. Honore, 
James P. Root. Gen. George W. Smith, Gov. Bross, Melville W. Fuller, J. 
Irving Pierce, Norman C. Perkins, Norman Williams, J. K. C. Forrest, Paul 
Cornell, John C. Dnre and Frank Eastman, both senators, the members of the 
House from the south side, and others whose names do not now occur to the 
writer. It was a stormy meeting. Everybody tried to be wise and amiable, 
and everybody had a mad fit. At last the bill was passed around for amend- 
ment and a compromise was affected. Egandale consented to the taking of 
a strip from the west side along Cottage Grove Avenue, and a strip from the 
south side along 55th street. It was deemed advisable to get to the lake, so 
it was agreed that there shoidd 1)e a strip to Lake Michigan. Mr. Root agreed 
to tlie arrangement provided he could locate the south line of the strip, wliich 
he did as it gave him three hundred feet front on the strip. Others fixed lines 
with reference to their own proj^erty, and everybody became hilariously 
happy — the whole matter was referred to George W Smith and James P. 
Boot, to prepare a satisfactory bill. No one ever saw the bill after it left 
their hands until it was introduced in the legislature. The account of that 
meeting was written l)y Mr. Forrest, and by Melville W. Fuller, which ap- 



— 43 — 

peared in the "Chicago Times" tlie following Monday. While the authors 
of the report adhered to the fact, they let uotliiug of a Pickwickian character 
escape tlieai. The Bill became a law. It was required to be submitted to 
the people at the annual Town Meeting in South Chicago, Hyde Park and 
Lake. ^lany of the people who had not been educated up to a high apprecia- 
tion of the benefits of a grand Park, voted against it, and were joined by 
others who thought the whole thing was a real estate steal. The election was 
close, and the scheme probably carried in fact, bvit by reason of some confus- 
ion as to the ballot the result was declared against the Park. IVIr. Thomas 
Hoyne, then an earnest advocate of a park system, contested the matter in 
the Courts, but the result finally was a miscarriage. 

lu 1868, the question of a park was again agitated. The same gentlemen 
and others interested met often, sometimes in secret, and once in a while in 
public. The matter was discussed in every real estate office in Chicago. All 
kinds of parks were marked out on the maps. The papers would announce 
that a park had been agreed on, and when the public became advisetl of the 
location, a howl would go up all along the line. The promoters of the park, 
however, substantially agreed on the location, and the ground was designated 
in the act, which was prepared by Judge Beckwith, About the time the Gen- 
eral Assembly convened, the question was discussed as to who should intro- 
duce the Bill. As the park was on the south side, it was appropriate that it 
should be a south side member, and as the land was nearly, if not all, in Mr. 
Francis Munson's district, he was selected. There was no particular opposition 
to the bill. James P. Root was Clerk of the House, and he saw to it, that 
there was no unnecessary delay. It passed, became a law, was submitted 
to the people, and carried by a good substantial majority. 

No one person has ever claimed to be the discoverer of the South Park 
system, but each has ever been ready to accord to the other his full mead of 
praise. 

The West and North sides were out in force looking after their park in- 
terests, and when the General Assembly adjourned, three park systems were 
provided for. At the same session ( 1869) the " Lake Front " Bill was intro- 
duced. The public is too well advised of its purport to give here any details 
■concerning it, but it may be well to consider, what connection there was be- 
tween the park bills and the lake front bill. 

As has been seen, the park interests from the three divisions of the city 
were in Springfield in force. They had prearranged their various interests, 
and of course were patent factors in the matter of legislation. The promoters 
of the lake front interest understood this very well, and either to secure the 
co-operation of the Park interest, or at least not to antagonize it, shrewdly 
provided that, when what remained as the property of the city after the Illi- 
nois Central Co. had taken what it wanted, should be sold, the proceeds should 
be divided among the several parks in proportion to the assessed value of prop- 
erty in the respective divisions of the city. The lake front bill became a law, 
and its subsequent history is known to all. None of the parks ever derived 
any benefit from it. 

By the way, the land was not purchased any too soon, for at present prices 
a park would have been impossible. Some of the prices at the time seemed 
extravagant. By the push, the enterpri.se, the public spirit of Chicago's cit- 
izens, we have an estate, whose value financially, aesthetically and sanitarily 
can never be estimated. 

The selection of these lands was made within the time specified by the 
act establishing the South Park. Immediately thereafter the lands were 
examined and diligent inquiry was made in relation to their value. The 
probable cost of the lands was estimated at $1,865,740 and an application was 
made to the Circuit Court for the appointment of three assessors to assess 
the amount upon the property benefited. This application was refused and 
then the Supreme Court was asked for a mandamus, which was granted. 
Thereupon the Circuit Court appointed assessors who entered, immediately, 
upon the performance of their duties. About this time a nursery was 
established cnntaining about five acres and over 60,000 tr^^es, from 1 to 4 
inches in diameter, were set out. They consisted of Maple, Elm, Sycamore, 



— 44 — 

Beach, Butternut, Cherry, Balsam, Linden, Ash, Birch, Arbor Vitae, Pine 
and Hemlock and besides these there were purchased over 6,000 choice 
Evergreens from three to seven feet high. This nurserj^ for the future sup- 
ply of trees and shrubs aud the work performed therein proved very inter- 
esting to many of the visitors and for that reason it was made accessible to 
the public, but it is now a thing of the past, for it had to make room for the 
World's Fair Buildings along Midway Plaisance, and only a small portion of 
this tree school could be preserved. 

The South Park system embraces the World's Fair site and contains 
much more territory than all the other parks put together. Like the Com- 
missions of Lincoln Park and the West Parks, the Board of South Park 
Commissioners was organized in 1S69, by authority of an act of the Legisla- 
ture, approved April 16th, of that year. 

To defray the cost of acquiring the private property within the limits 
named in the act, a special assessment was levied upon all real property in the 
South Town of Chicago, Village of Hyde Park and Town of Lake, propor- 
tioned according to benefits to the property on account of the location of the 
Parks and Boulevards. The assessment was divided into eight annual install- 
ments. For improvement and maintenance an annual levy is made upon all 
property assessed in the three towns named, which is collected with the 
annual State and County Tax. 

The management of the Parks is vested in five Commissioners appointed 
by the judges of the Circuit C(mrt of Cook County; the term of office is five 
years, one Commissioner being appointed each year. The Commissioners 
constitute a municipal corporation, having exclusive jurisdiction over the 
Parks and Boulevards. 

In April 1869 Governor Palmer appointed as Commissioners the follow- 
ing gentlemen : John M. Wilson, George W. Gage, Chauncey T. Bowen, L. 
B.Sidway and Paul Cornell. This Commission commenced its labors by 
selecting the land designated by the act and the cost of which was at first 
estimated at $1,865,750. After the appointment of assessors, however, it was 
found that the land required would cost a sum much larger than the original 
estimate. Thereupon it was decided to increase the assessment to $3,320,- 
000, and to issue bonds for the full amount of $2 000,000. The majority of 
the bonds were sold in New York and from them together with those that 
were used in part payment for the acquired land, the Board realized 
$1,827 399. 

In 1869 the landscape gardeners Olmstead & Vaux, of New York, were 
employed to furnish plans and specifications for improvement of the park 
grounds. Then work was begun in earnest and carried on with great vigor, 
when the great fire of 1871 put a stop to the operations. The headquarters 
of the Commission were burned and with them all the oritrinal plans and 
specifications, the records, atlases of the towns of Hyde Park and Lake, 
vouchers, contracts, estimates, assessment rolls, etc. A(;tual work had, how- 
ever, progressed too far to allow a long interruption of the undertaking. In 
the year following new boulevards were laid out and graded, and in Sep- 
tember 1872 II. W. S. Cleveland was appointed landscape gardener. To the 
plans furnished by Messrs. Olmstead & Vaux there was this objection raised, 
that the expense of constructing the Parks and Boulevards in the manner 
they had indicated, would involve an outlay far beyond the means at com- 
mand ; so it was decided to retain the main features of their plans modified, 
however, so as to produce the best possible effects by judiciously arranging 
and planting trees and shrubs and making the least expensive lakes and 
water-ways, without the use of statuary, stonework or costly buildings. Wliile 
public parks are intended to afford the means of pleasant and heal'hlul re- 
creation to all classes and conditions of people, it was considered of the ut- 
most important^" that all Improvements should be made with the especial 
view of affording the greatest facilities for their use, by persons who are 
compelled to spend the whole year in the city, and to whom extensive groves 
and lawns are of far more value than expensive drives, which cannot be used 




AVashiiigton Park. 



— 47 — 

to any great extent, except by persons of means. The only portion of the 
park territory that had been made accessible to the public was the northern 
neck of what was known as the Upper Division, but during 1874 the work 
was hastened along rapidly, although the Commission found itself hampered 
in various ways in regard to the financial management of this public enter- 
prise. About 200 acres of the western portion of the park w^ere put under 
cultivation and then already open air concerts were given weekly in a 
temporary music pavilion under the direction of Hans Balatka. On these 
occa>ions the attendance was so large, that the adjoining grounds had to be 
thrown open to the public. These open air concerts were as early as 1874 
attended by immense crowds of visitors and would have drawn still larger 
numbers of people, if the fare by street cars from the city would have been 
reduced from fifteen to five cents — the present charge. During 1874 the third 
new greenhouse was built and a botanical garden established, which again 
was abandoned three years later, so as to avoid the large and constantly 
increasing outlay necessary for its maintenance. 

That part of the park, lying between Fifty-sixth and Sixty-seventh streets, 
Stony Island ave. and Lake Michigan (now Jackson Park and the site of the 
World's Fair) was originally named Lake Park, the western portion West Park 
and a tract of twenty acres at the intersection of Western ave. and Pavilion 
(now Garfield) boulevard, was given the name of Gage Park in memory of 
George W. Gage, one of the original members of the Commission. 

The entire amount of land purchased w'as 1045 acres and up to 1875 
nearly four-fifths of the west division of the park had been improved ; the 
four main boulevards. Grand, Drexel, Garfield and Oakwoodwere completed 
and Midway Plaisance had been constructed. The floral department was 
given in charge of Mr. Fred. Kanst, a gardener of great efficiency and an 
adept in the art of lawn decoration. During the following years unimproved 
sections of the territory were brought under cultivation and by December 1, 
1880, the Board had acquired title to all the lands required for park purposes 
and some 200 acres more in the eastern portion. The Commission had to 
wade through a great deal of annoying litigation, which arose from the 
various conflicting claims of numerous land owners aud agents. 

As years rolled by West Park became Washington Park, and Lake 
Park was named Jackson Park, while the memory of Garfield was honored 
by changing the name of Pavilion boulevard to Garfield boulevard. In 1884 
the construction of a pavement beach and sea wall was commenced in Jackson 
Park, so as to protect the shore against the inroads of Lake Michigan. It is 
now finished and forms a fit subject for admiration; it consists of a lime- 
stone pavement, which has an average width of forty feet and is composed 
of blocks averaging twelve inches in depth, laid upon two inches of lake 
gravel ; at the landward edge of the pavement is set a lime-stone curbing 
and immediately back of this is a concrete flag walk twelve feet in width, for 
w'hich the "Germania" brand of Portland Cement was used, adjoining a fifty 
foot drive. The top of the curbing at the back edge of the beach pavement 
is eight feet seven inches above city datum, being six feet six inches above 
water level. The surface of the pavement rises from front to rear, not on a 
regular incline, but in a curved line similar to that formed by the waves upon 
a sand beach. 

The vpry first attempt at shore protection of a substantial character was 
made in 1874 at the Fifty-ninth street inlet to Jackson Park and resulted in 
the building of a north- and south-pier, which has formed the inlet up to the 
present time. Fitz Simons and Connell constructed about six thousand feet 
of breakwater, commencing at Fifty-sixth street and running to the present 
entrance to the World's Fair grounds. This sloping breakwater has proved a 
great success and, when kept clean of sand and debris, it forms a lovely 
margin to the blue waters of the lake. Mr. J. Frank Foster, the general 
superintendent of the South Parks, was the engineer of the work and to him 
is due largely the credit of having designed so effective and beautiful a shore 
improvement, as this one has become to be. 



— 48 — 

In 1876 a part of Washington Park was used as a pasture for a flock of 
South-down sheep, numbering sixty-eight, but this feature of park-life was 
soon after discarded. 

Quite early in the history of the South Parks the Board entertained the 
desire to secure control of Michigan ave. and Thirty-fifth street (from Grand 
boulevard to Michigan avenue), as those streets would form an important 
liuk between the Ciry and the Park system. The cost of improving Michi- 
gan boulevard so as to harmonize with the character of the other boulevards 
was estimated at $551,003 and after years of litigation and vexations delay the 
Commission has at last succeeded in improving the entire length of Michigan 
ave., from Jackson street to Washington Park, making it one of the finest 
pleasure drives in the world. About the time parks were decided upon for 
this city. Dr. G. H. Ranch, for many years the Secretary of the Illinois State 
Board of Health, in a paper read before the Academy of Sciences of this 
city, discussed in a very lucid and instructive manner the influence of public 
parks upon the moral, physical and sanitary condition of the inhabitants of 
large cities, and although many people may be familiar with the subject in 
question, it has such an intimate bearing upon the matter presented in this 
book, that we deem it desirable to republish a short extract therefrom. 

After a brief account of the parks in the chief cities of the world, Dr. 
Ranch goes more fully into the question as it affects the citizens of Chicago 
and presents many interesting facts regarding its situation and physical re- 
lations. Located on the southwest shore of Lake Michigan, the land that 
stretches back from it is almost as flat and low as the lake iiself. The average 
elevation for five miles around is but twelve feet above the water level, while 
a large portion of the ground is depressed and swampy, with but little 
drainage. The land upon which the city stands is the ancient bed of the lake 
(which has receded far below its former level), and consists of sand-banks, 
clay-beds, and vegetable mould. From the flatness of the region winds have 
an unbroken sweep, as there are no mountains, hills, or forests to arrest 
them. In an area of four hundred square miles surrounding Chicago, there 
are hardly twenty square miles thinly covered with timber. But, as even the 
enterprise of Chicago is inadequate to build mountains, and as hills also are 
very expensive, the city has but one way left to protect itself against its 
special exposure, and that is, to surround itself with artificial forests. 

Another aspect of the subject to which Dr. Rauch draws attention, is the 
sanitary influence of trees and foliage, the relations of climate to disease and 
of the parks to mental hygiene, and the special need which so overexcited a 
people as those of Chicago have for every kind of recreation and diversion. 
"We need parks to induce out-door exercise, and for the pleasant influences 
connected with them, which are so beneficial to our over-worked business 
men, to dyspeptics, to those aftiicted with nervous diseases, and, particularlj', 
to the consumptive. We need parks for our school children, as we have no 
places to which they can resort for out-of-door pla}', and where the}' can 
obtain healthful recreation, with the exception of the limited grounds sur- 
rounding the school-houses." 

"The moral influence of the parks is decided. Man is brought in contact 
with Nature — is taken away from the artificial conditions in which he lives 
in cities; and such associations exercise a vast influence for good." 

Dr. Rauch has indeed spoken the truth and the uses of our parks as a 
means of popular intellectual improvement, and their importance as an edu- 
cational agency in connection with the great school system of this city, are 
by no means yet fully recognized. Their rich array of trees, shrubs, and 
flowers, in their season, are not only objects of attention from their varied 
beauty, but they minister to a still further and most important use as objects 
of engaging study to the youth of the schools of Chicago. 

The Sf)uth Parks became more of a resort for the general public after 
the cable lines in Cottage Grove avenue and State street were completed a 
few short years ago ; previously, on account of the lung distance lying be- 



— 51 — 

tween them and the thickly populated districts of the city and the difficulty 
people, not owners of private conveyances and unable to patronize livery 
stables, experienced in getting there, these parks principally formed the 
destination of the upper tendom, the wealthy and fashionable, whose elegant 
equipages and turnouts thronged the boulevards and park driveways. There 
the richly attired ladies and stylish looking gentlemen reigned supreme and 
the common people did not block their way. Thanks to th^ extension of the 
afore mentioned cable car-lines way beyond the southern limits of the park 
territory and to the facilities afforded by the trains of the Illinois Central and 
the Elevated railwaj% all leading to these health giving pleasure grounds, 
men, women and children on foot are now largely in the majority in the 
South Parks. Especially gratifying is it to witness the signs of joy and 
happiness, which the little ones seem to feel when brought out here among 
the green trees and beautiful flowers, where their pale cheeks at once assume 
a healthier color, their limbs greater elasticity. Even the most distant quart- 
ers of the city send large delegations of tenement-house occupants, dwellers 
in unhealthy, disease-breeding basements to the shady meadows of the South 
Parks, where they spend many happy hours in the enjoyment of the blessings 
that kind nature and the handiwork of man have spread out before them in 
such glorious profusion. As early as 1873 it was found desirable to increase 
the attractions of Washington Park, by providing a place of resort for children 
and families who came by cars and were seeking their pleasure with'n such 
distances as were easily accessible on foot. To meet this want, a ramble was 
designed and laid out immediately south of the entrance from Drexel Boule- 
vard and adjacent to the car track on Cottage Grove avenue. The effect of 
intricacy and variety was secured by means of irregular plantations of shrub- 
bery, to form thickets and copses, interspersed with bits of open ground or 
broad lawn to serve as play grounds for children. The paths wind about 
among these scenes, opening new vistas or views at every turn and conveying 
the impression of a much more extended area than it actually occupies. 

We have already endeavored to convey some idea of what the South 
Parks were, when they were first laid out and came into the hands of the Com- 
missioners, who by tiie way receive no pay for their services. Since then the 
improvements have been steadily going forward. Excellent drives, and 
walks, and bridle paths, and artificial lakes have been constructed and beauti- 
ful trees, and shrubs, and evergreens have been judiciously planted to give 
character and variety to the meadows and lawns ; no touch of the landscape 
gardener could add very considerably to the fresh appearance of its glades 
and groves, and cool secluded nooks. The public knows how to prize the 
noble sycamores, the stately maples, the superb catalpas and the large variety 
of other magnificent trees, that adorn Washington Park and the boulevards. 
In short, the transformation of these grounds from a sandy waste to beautiful 
flower gardens, lawns and shady retreats ever was and still is a great surprise 
to the public. 

In the Park the passing observer is verj'' strongly impressed with the 
manner in which everchanging views are successively opened before him; 
views, which possess every quality of complete and impressive landscape 
compositions. As an authority on landscape gardening remarks: "Other forms 
of natural scenery stir the observer to warmer admiration, but it is doubtful 
if any and certain that none which under ordinary circumstances man of set 
purpose can induce nature to supply him, are equally soothing and refres^hing ; 
equally adapted to stimulate simple, natural and wholesome tastes and fancies, 
ani thus to draw the mind from absorption in the interest of an intensely 
artificial habit of life." 

In the improvement of this territory attractive and picturesque scenery 
has been fornved and accommodations were prepared for great numbers of 
people, each class of which is led to enjoy and benefit by the scenery without 
preventing or seriously detracting from the enjoyment of it by all others. To 
repeat, the scenery of Washington Park is diversified and it commands fine 
distant views. These advantages and its exemption from factory smoke or 



— 52 — 

foul smells compensate for the necessity the citizens are under to travel a 
number of miles to reach it. 

Every thing is useful just in proportion as it in some waj' adds to human 
enjoyments and the Park is certainly one of the foremost things, that give 
pleasure to human beings. 

Its civilizing and humanizing influence is something wholly incalculable. 
The visitors belong to every class and grade of society, and yet every one 
seems there to be on his good behaviour. The Commissioners have kept 
steadily in view the one object of making it a pleasure ground; admitting 
notliing, which would interfere with this, prohibiting nothing which would 
conduce to it. The regulation formerly quite generally in use in all of our 
parks: "Keep ofE the grass," is one of the things of the past in this Park, and 
any one who has seen the glee with which men, women and children repose 
or play upon the soft velvet sward, will see how much the actual enjoyment 
of the Park is enhanced by permitting the free use of the lawns. The toil- 
worn artisan, his weary wife and pining children are, thanks to the wise fore- 
thought of the Commissioners, assured that on any bright summer or autumn 
day they will find sward and shade open to them. 

Everything done here is done according to the best rules of the land- 
scape gardeners art; in the process of grouping as well as in the endeavor 
to secure those fine contrasts of color which by a proper selection of trees and 
shrubs, the autumn foliage can be made to display. 

According to these rules the Park shows principallj' the character of 
free and unrestricted nature, where the hand of man should not be noticed 
except through well kept walks and drives and the judicious distribution 
of buildings. The extensive territory Wasliington and Jackson Park occupy, 
of which the former contains 371, the latter 580 acres, whereto 100 acres 
must be added covered by Midway Plaisance, made the construction of 
park lands possible on a much larger and niore imposing scale-, than could 
be done in either of the other four large parks of the city. If it was possible 
to lift them up and carry them to the South Parks, they would all of them 
easily find room within the boundaries of Washington and Jackson Park. In 
the western part of Washington Park, near the entrance from Garfield boule- 
vard, is .situated an open lawn containing one hundred acres, which the Com- 
missioners have turned over to those fond of playing "lawn tennis,'' "cricket" 
and similar out-door sports ; the Commissioners even went so tar in their 
praiseworthy anxiety to please the public and make people feel happy, as to 
purchase the articles necessary for such amusements and to loan them out to 
the players. This character of open park scenery — of wood without under- 
growth and of lawn irregularly bounded by groups of large trees — is pre- 
served in Washington Park throughout in order that it might be left open to 
the public at all tunes, by day and by night, without risk of such abuse of its 
privileges as might exist, if exclusion and concealment were secured by the 
presence of thickets and copses of shrubbery. The wisdom of such provision 
for the future, when the neighborhood of the park becomes thickly inhabited, 
is obvious. 

In the immediate vicinity of the aforesaid western park-entrance Mr. 
Kanst, the head gardener, has obtained very picturesque effects by means of 
climbing plants, which have crept up over tall tree stumps, from where they 
droop down in graceful garlands or stretch across shady paths to trees on the 
other side, thereby forming a canopy of rich foliage. 

South of the large baseball lawn lies the glittering park-lake, covering 
an area of about twenty acres. Its green shore stretches around in graceful 
curves, where stately trees throw their deep shadows upon the mirror like 
surface of the water; upon these shores beautiful flowers bloom in great 
variety and children love to roam and play. 

The paths and driveways througii the park are without any exception 
laid out in such a manner, that each one of them will lead the traveler to the 
most advantageous points of view. 



— 55 — 

Crossing over to the extreme eastern portion of Washington Park we find 
here the Palm House and just west of it, in tlie centre of a circuitious drive- 
wa}', the floral display of Mr. Kanst, his pride and the joy of the public. To 
get a glimpse of this panorama of flowers and plastic floral designs is indeed 
worth a journey from a distance. We will not attempt a description of the 
various figures, emblems, Moral fancies as they should be called, carpet-beds 
rich in colors and unique in design, for everybody interested in flowers and 
floral decorations, every lover of the sweet-scented children of flora, should 
personally visit this highly fascinating spot. It required not less than 300,000 
plants and flowers to embroider and embellish these emerald lawns, in which 
number however are included many thousands that were used for beautify- 
ing the center of Drexel boulevard and the surroundings of the Drexel 
fountain at the southern end of said boulevard. A remarkable piece of work 
and a triumph of art among many floral masterpieces was a portrait of General 
Grant, which was executed by Mr. Kanst in the spring of 1885 and elicited 
much favorable and well deserved comment. The interior of the palmhouse 
with its large variety of tropical and semi-tropical plants will also prove highly 
interesting to the visitor. Before we take our departure from this beautiful 
park let us not forget to take a look at the lily-ponds, situated only a few 
paces south of the palm house; here, among the numerous specimens of the 
family of water lilies we also behold several fully developed Virginia Regia's, 
the queenly sea-rose of the tributaries of the Amazon river. It truly deserves 
to be ranked among the foremost objects of interest and admiration in the floral 
kingdom, and for those who gather aroilnd these ponds with their array of 
lotus-plants and water-lilies, natives of China, Japan, Africa, Egypt and our 
own country, it forms the centre of attraction. 

We find here Nymphaea odorata, N. alba, N. tuberosa, N. dentata, N- 
rubra and other species, but, as before remarked, the grandest of them all is 
the Victoria Regia. Though it was discovered by the botanist Haenke as 
early as 1801 and scientifically described by Professor Poeppig of Leipzic 
in 1832, it was not named till 1838, when Lindley dedicated it to his sovereign, 
and in 1850 it was for the first time introduced into cultivation through the 
efforts of the traveler Spruce. 

The gigantic circular leaves of this wondrous plant measure six feet and 
more in diameter and have a turned up margin as a border from two to five 
inches high, giving the leaf the resemblance to a huge tray or salver. The 
upper surface of this leaf is of a rich green color, while the lower surface 
shows a purple or violet color and is traversed by ridge-like veins or ribs, 
which radiate from the centre and are connected by ribs running cross ways, 
so that the entire surface below is divided into air-compartments, which give 
the leaf great carrying power. By placing a board upon one to distribute 
the weight, it is capable of holding a child from 10 to 12 years of age. 
The life of the flower is of short duration, lasting only two days. It opens 
late in the afternoon and remains open about twelve hours ; during that 
period it is cup-shaped, from 12 to 10 inches across, with hundreds of pure 
white petals and very fragrant. The second day the flower again opens 
towards evening, but it now presents an entirely different appearance, for 
the petals are changed to a rosy pink color, and reflexed in the shape of a 
coronet, but now odorless. Towards morning the flower again closes, never 
again to open, and during the day it sadly sinks back into its watery bed, there 
to ripen its seed. 

The maintenance of this grand system of parks: police protection, repairs 
of roads and footpaths, transplanting of trees, etc., last year required over 
^200,000, which figures explain better than a detailed description of the work 
done inside of one year for the good of the public can do, the amount of labor 
that has been performed. 

For those, who are the fortunate owners of a buggy or carriage or who 
possess the means for hiring one, a drive along the broad and well kept boule- 
vards leading north from Washington Park into the heart of the city, or west, 
where the boulevard systems of the South Parks and the West Parks join 



— 56 — 

hands, will surely prove a most enjoyable one. Those leading north are Drexel 
boulevard, Grand boulevard, Oakwood boulevard, Thirty-fifth street boulevard 
and ilichigan boulevard. Drexel boulevard is 200 feet wide; it starts from 
Washington Park at Fifty-first street near Cottage Grove ave. and terminates at 
Thirty -ninth street, a point 13^ miles north. It consists of a double roadway, 
embracing a central ornamental space 100 feet wide, arranged with paths, 
grass plots, magnificent floral decorations, and planted with trees and shrubs. 
Elegant and costly residences line this magnificent boulevard on both sides, 
inuring the year 1882 the Drexel Brothers of Philadelphia presented to the 
Commissioners a costly and superb bronze fountain in memory of their father, 
after whom also the beautiful Boulevard is named. This fountain is located 
at the turn of said Boulevard at Fifty- first street and is massive, unique and of 
beautiful design and workmanship. It is crowned by a life size bronze statue 
of Drexel. From the northern terminus of this boulevard Oakwood boulevard, 
a hundred feet wide, extends half a mile west to Grand boulevard, which has 
a width of 198 fpet the entire length from Washington Park (at Fifty- first 
street) north to Thirty-fifth street, which is exactly two miles. Grand boule- 
vard is on the line with South Park ave., which connects at Fifty-fifth street 
with Garfield boulevard. It comprises a central drive-way, 55 feet wide, with 
a grass border 20 feet on each side, planted with rows of trees and separating 
it from the side roads, which are intended for business traffic. Going north in 
Grand boulevard we at its northern end enter Thirty-fifth street ; for a distance 
of barely }^ of a mile, from Grand boulevard west to Michigan boulevard, 
this street is under the control of the Park Board as a necessary link between 
all the afore mentioned boulevards and Michigan boulevard, which latter 
leads to the business centre of the city. This boulevard is now finished its 
entire length, from Fifty-fifth street (Garfield boulevard) to Jackson street, a 
distance of 5^^ miles, and as a street of palatial residences it has no superior 
in this or any other country. 

A delightful pleasure drive is afforded those, who will select Garfield 
boulevard (Fifty-fifth street) where it emerges from Washington Park, for a 
visit to the West Park system. The road here naturally leads us in a westerly 
direction past fine residences and stores far out into the open country, where 
dwelling houses as yet are thinly scattered. 

Garfield and Western avenue boulevards, the connecting links, have a 
length of over six miles and the greater part of the way they pass through 
wide stretches of prairie, wliich as far as the eye can reach is profusely stud- 
ded with lovely wild flowers, who merrily bow and nod in the breezes, 

Tliat part of the boulevard, which leads from Washington Park directly 
west over Fifty-fifth street, is called Garfield boulevard in honor of our 
lamented President, James A. Garfield. 

It has a uniform width of 200 feet and is lined on both sides of the main 
drive way with tliree rows of shade trees. At the intersection of AVestern 
ave., which is distant 3% miles from the point where Garfield boulevard 
emerges from Washington Park, the boulevard turns north and follows in the 
road of Western avenue, from which it has taken its name, for a distance of 
2.81 miles, until it reaches the Illinois and Michigan Canal, where it crosses 
by means of a neat drawbridge, constructed by the South Park Commissioners. 
Between Fifty-fifth street and this Canal the boulevard is enclosed along the 
western border for long distances by beautiful shrubs and small groves, 
that lend an additional charm to the landscape, through which the road 
passes. We behold here a natural garden, in which we can not fail to see 
the painstaking care of the gardener with sprinkling cart and pruning knife. 
North of Thirty-ninth street the boulevard passes through Brighton Park, 
where a small but very picturesque flower garden enhances the beauty of the 
immediate vicinity and where stately elms and catalpas throw their cool 
shade over rustic spats and lovely walks. AVestern avenue boulevard is 200 
feet wide, the same as Garfield boulevard. 




2^S-«^B>^ 



^•.: }i'M^-J - iiitter^:.^ 



59 



Areas and Distances, S. Parks and Boulevards. 



Jackson (East) Park 

Washington (West) Park 

Gage Park 

Midway Plaisance 

Grand boulevard, 198 ft. wide 

Drexel boulevard, 200 ft. wide 

Oakwood boulevard, 100 ft, wide 

Michigan avenue boulevard 

Thirt.y-fifth street boulevard 

Garfield boulevard, 300 ft. wide 

Western ave. boulevard, 200 ft. wide .... 
Fifty-seventh st. boulevard, 100 ft. wide. 



Totals. 



Total 
Area. 
Acres . 



586 

371 

20 

80 



Total Imp'v'd 
Length Drives 
Miles. Miles. 



2.00 
1.48 

.50 
5.73 

.32 
3.50 
2.81 

.03 



1057 16.37 25.16 



1.50 
6.06 



1.38 
3.55 
3.05 

.50 
3.73 

.32 
3.75 
1.29 

.03 



The present Commissioners are the following gentlemen : Joseph Don- 
nersberger, President; Martin J.Russell, Auditor; John B. Sherman, William 
Best and J. W. Ellsworth. H. W. Harmon is Secretary and John R. Walsh,, 
Treasurer. 




00 



THE WEST CHICAGO PARKS. 



The first Board of West Chicago Park Commissioners consisted of the 
following gentlemen: Geo. W. Stanford, President; E. F. Runyan, Auditor; 
Isaac R. Hitt, Clark Lipe, David Cole. Chas. C. P. Holdeu and Henry Greene- 
baum. Treasurer. The act of legislature creating this board was approved 
Feb. 27, 1869. The commissioners were not appointed bj- the Governor, how- 
ever, until April 26, nearly two months later. The labor incident to selecting 
the lands necessary for the Parks and public grounds contemplated by the law 
creating the board, and acquiring the title to the same, was greater than was 
at first anticipated; the conflicting interests of real estate owners ari.d the de- 
mands and necessities of the public were to be harmonized. While the law 
prescribed the limits within which these Parks should be located, still the par- 
ticular locality within these limits was a matter left to the discretion and 
judgment of the board. 

"By a resolution adopted June 25, 1869, the preliminary labor of selecting 
or designating locations for these public improvements was devolved upon a 
special committee of three, consisting of Messrs. Gkeenebaum, Hitt, and 
Runyan, who spent some time and labor in securing to the public, locations 
for these Parks which should be accessible to the great mass of tlie people 
over some public means of travel, and still be within such distance of the bus- 
iness and residence portion of the city as to be readily accessible to pedestrians 
and carriages. 

Under the law, the board was required to locate and establish a Boulevard 
running from the north branch of the Chicago river, commencing at a point 
north of Fullerton Avenue, running thence west, one mile or more west of 
Western Avenue, and thence southerly, with such curves and deviations as 
the board should deem expedient, tothe'Chicago.Burlingtouand Quincy railroad 
line, and on line of said Boulevard to establish three Parks: the north Park to 
be in size not less than 200 acres, to cost not to exceed $250,000, to be located 
north of Kinzie Street; the middle Park to be located between Kinzie and 
Harrison Street, to be in size not less than 100 acres, and to cost not to exceed 
$400,000; the southern Park to be not less than 100 acres in size, and to cost 
not to exceed $250,000, to be located south of Harrison Street, and north of 
the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railroad line, — the aggregate cost of Parks 
and Boulevards not to exceed $1,050,000. 

It will be seen that the power of the board was so prescribed by limitations 
and restrictions, that the selecting aud jirocuring of the lands within the limits 
designated, and for the price or cost indicated, and at the same time within a 
reasonable distance of the residence portion of the city, was a problem of no 
easy solution. 

It is only by remembering the sandy desert out beyond the former west- 
ern limits of our city, and the marshy prairie land of the years gone by that 
one can realize the wonders that have been worked in making this Kceming 
Nature what it is. That thickets and trees abound; that vines clamber up 
over trellises and the walls of the great palm houses; that calm lakes refiect 
the blue heavens or white clouds; that Nature has been tamed and civilized 
and her ruggedness and her softness Avoven into a garment for the earth — this 
can only be apiireciated by remembering how all this territory looked in 1869 
or by seeing how some of the adjacent similar lots and acre* look now. The 
supply of this city with pure lake water was the noblest labor, but the gift of 
its great lungs or breathing places ranks next. They are favorite resorts at 
all seasons of the year. In summer, there is the leafy (luiet aud almost breath- 





Tlie Iluiiibohlt Monuiiif iit in Iluinlxtlcit I'ark. 



— 6J5 — 

less stillness of the summer-woods; there is the drowsy hum of the bee, and 
ceaseless whir-r-r of the hummiug-bird's wiug, as it poises iu air before a 
flower its little body of green and gold. There is the sweet monotony of the 
splash of fountains or ripple of little cascades, lulling the senses into half-for- 
getfulness, till one dreams that the noisy city has ceased to exist, and that the 
enchanted gardens of some new Alhambra environ him forever. There is the 
deep green of the grass, the darker emerald of the leaves, the density of vines 
and thickets, the faint perfume of summer flowers; and in the holy hush of 
imitated Nature the rabbit lifts it great ears and eyes without fear, the splen- 
did peacock suns its great eye-embroidered fan and the stately swans sit motion- 
less on the water, like birds of snow in realms of blue, and await the pleasure 
of the goddess of the lake. 

In autumn, when the spirit of the breeze has invaded the sylvan solitudes, 
and the genii of the season have tired each thicket with gold and crimson, and 
strewed the grass with the purpling spoils of all the trees; when the vases 
overflow with floral treasures and the song-birds wake up to pipe a farewell 
to the flowers; wlieii the enchanted summer-sleep is broken by the flrst breath 
of the spirit of the north and the quick-moving children come to look brighter 
than the birds and sweeter than the passing flowers — the great Parks are a 
thing of beauty still. 

When winter comes to spread her broad white mantle over the grave of 
the dead grass and shelter with her cold beauty the delicate roots of the flowers; 
when the delicate birds and animals (of Lincoln Park) are also sheltered and 
the lakes harden their bosolns into ice; when beautiful girls and strong men 
buckle on the steel wings to their feet, and the swiftly-darting forms look like 
the broken fragments of some rainbow of humanity; when the short winter- 
day has furled itself in the blue blankets of the night and the great moon looks 
down to flood tiie white landscape with pale glory and tip every barren branch 
with silver; or when the modest light of stars hesitates in rivalry with brighter 
eyes, and electric lights arise and recreate the day — then too, the Parks are 
beautiful. 

On the 15th day of July, 1869, the committee submitted to the public ten 
plans or suggestions for the locations of the Parks. Tliese were exhibited for 
ten days thereafter, and offers for the sale of lands and donations of the same 
invited. The result was that no offers were received, whereupon the com- 
mittee prepared three other plans or suggestions, which were, on the 5th day 
of August, submitted to the public, and donations a'gain solicited. 

The result was that donation for a portion of the Boulevards were made, 
and 14 acres promised conditionally, to be used in the purchase of the north- 
ern Park. The committee having this matter in charge, made their report to 
the board on the 19th day of August, setting forth the plans which had been 
submitted to the public, and reporting the donations made or promised. Final 
action was not taken on this report until the 4th day of November, 1869, when 
the board definitely fixed and established the lines and boundaries of Parks 
and Boulevards. 

By the action of the board, a system of public Parks and pleasure ways 
w\as secured, which combined all the advantages which the topographical 
nature of the country afforded, having due regard to the means of access, and 
proximity to the city. The boundaries of the Parks having been established, 
the great work undertaken had just been entered upon; to secure the title to 
tliese lands at prices which should be fair and equitable, as between the public 
and the owner, gave rise to prolonged negotiations. The Park Commissioners 
were in the market desiring to buy these lands, without money or means of 
getting it until special assessments could be levied and collected. Prices of 
lands in the vicinity of the Parks, under the excitement which existed during 
the early part of 1869, had run up to a high figure, from which owners were 
slow to recede, yet the board was so thoroughly convinced that the prices 
asked were speculative and not the real value, that they refu.sed to buy except 
in cases where concessions of from 20 to 25 per cent were made from these ex- 
treme prices. 

The Commissioners were willing to pay for the lands, taking the value as 
it should be determined by the assessors appointed by the courts to condemn 



— 64 — 

the same. They were willing to ascertain this value without appealing to the 
court, and much time aud labor was expended in establishing or agreeing upon 
the true rule to be followed in determining this question. That insisted upon 
by the board, was to enquire what was the value of the lands taken for the 
improvement contemplated at the time the same were selected, without regard 
to any elfect which the contemplated improvements might have upon other 
lands in the vicinity. 

Upon this basis, substantially, the purchases were conducted — making the 
purchase money payable in three installments, thus dividing the special a.ssess- 
ments into three annual assessments, instead of raising it by one assessment, 
as would have been necessary if the land had been secured by condemnation. 

The resources of the board from which to realize money to pay for lauds 
thus purchased, were. 1. The power to levy and collect special a.ssessments 
upon the real estate deemed benefited. 2. The right to issue bonds to pay 
the amount found payable by the public; and 3. To issue bonds to pay any 
deticiency which might exist after exhausting the other resources of the board. 

The first assessment made by the assessors was for the sum of ^231,880.73, 
which was confirmed by the Circuit Court, and extended on the general Tax 
Warrant for the year 1870. The amount collected under this warrant, less 
commission for collecting, was $169,887.51, the balance, $55,810.91. was re- 
ported to the County Court at the August term, 1871. as delinquent, aud judg- 
ment rendered against the property. Parties contesting this tax in the County 
Court perfected appeals from this judgment to the Circuit Court about the loth 
day of September following, and were pending in the Circuit Court at the 
time of the destruction of the records of said Court by the great fire, October 
9. 1871. Accordingly, measures were taken to restore the Kecord of Appeals 
taken by delinquent owners; and the second assessment authorized by law, 
amounting to $212,108.51, was made, and reported to the Circuit Court for 
confirmation. 

During the year 1871, four artesian wells were sunk, one in each of tlie 
parks, and one in Humboldt Boulevard. The sinking of these wells was then 
a matter of necessity, as at that time the municipal water mains did not extend 
to those distant parts of the city. The well in Central Park is 1,220 feet deep, 
the one in Douglas Park 1 ,165 and the well in Humboldt Park 1,155 feet deep. 
The well in Humboldt Boulevard is located in !Maplewood, at a point nearly 
midway between the eastern terminus of the Boulevard and Logan Square. 

In*1868, the year before the Park Act was passed, the land added by this 
Act to the city, were assessed and paid taxes on a valuation of ^429.600; in 
1872, the same lands were assessed and paid taxes on a city assessment of 
$9,506,230. This increase in the value of real estate was attained during a 
period of the time most trying to the City of Chicago and its interests — a fear- 
ful conrtagration in a few'hours wiping out of existence a vast amount of its 
wealth, utterly ruining many of its most active citizens, and followed in a few 
months by a depression in business generally, reaching to every person in the 
country, with a stringency in money centres which for a time threatened the 
overthrow of all classes; yet through it all, these lands have steadily from 
year to year advanced, and tiiey have been an important element in securing 
this result, wit/tout which other- important interests would have been diverted 
to more favorable localities; they have formed the nucleus arounil which all 
other interests have centered. 

Soon after the terrible conflagration of Oct. 8 and 9, 1871, it was suggested 
by the city press that, with relics from the ruins, a monument ought to be 
erected in Garfield Park, which should be unique in construction, and serve 
to commemorate in some degree the fearful elYect of the fiery elements which 
had swept over the fairest portion of our city. Seizing upon the suggestion 
thus made, the Board adopted a plan, alTording opportunity to cut in lasting 
marble the grateful acknowledgments of a suffering city. The ceremony of 
laying the cornerstone came off on the 30th of October, 1872, when it was 
laid with Masonic ceremonies, in the presence of a large number of citizens. 
From the address of Hon. S. S. Hayes, who was one of the jirincipal sjieakers 
on that occasion, the following may be quoted in reference to the great Chicago 
fire; 




Residence of Win. Schmidt, u^'hv Lincoln Parli. 



— G7 — 



"On tlie iiiiiht of Oct. 8th, 1871, the Great Fire broke forth and raged 
with resistless liny until the close of the uext day, when by the blessing of 
Divine Providence its ravages were stayed. 

It was the greatest coutlagration of Avhich history gives an account, un- 
less we except the burning of Moscow on the loth and Kith of September, 
18 1 2 The great fire in London in IGGO did not equal it in extent, or the 
amount of loss. The London fire swept a space a mile long and half a mile 
wide and the value of buildings and goods consumed was estimated at from 
fifty to sixty million dollars. In the burning of Moscow, the private loss by 
the destruction of houses and their contents, exclusive of public buildings, 
was calculated at one hundred ami fifty millions of dollars. The Chicago tire 
devastated a space nearlv a mile in width and three miles and a half in length, 
containing two thousand acres. Forty churches, fifty hotels, and u.-arly all 
the public buildings, newspaper oflices, banks, theatres and finest wholesale 
and retail storehouses, besides thousands of dwellings, many of the most costly 
character were laid in ashes. The number of buildings destroyed was 
17 450- of persons rendered homeless, 98,500. The losses on property of all 
descriptions a.side from depreciation of land, were estimated at t.vo hundred 
millions of dollars. No one who beheld tho.se terrible scenes can ever forget 
them. The earth and air for miles a pandemonium of flames, full of all hor- 
rors, the roaring hurricane of fire sweeping down and devouring massive blocks 
of brick, stone and iron as though they were wood, terror-stricken people half 
clad crowding the streets audltleeing for their lives, some into the water of 
Lake Michigan, others to the suburbs and adjacent country, over one hundred 
thousand men, women and children without shelter or food, the water supply 
destroyed, the firemen and police worn out or saving their families, no hope 
of preserving any part of the city except from the continuance of the south- 
west wind— such was the dreadful scene that neither tongue nor pen can des- 
cribe. And through these trying scenes what self-sacrifice, what devotion, 
what tenderness, what endurance, feeble women carrying from the flames the 
aged and infirm, little children suppressing their terror to comfort their stricken 
parents, and men became giants in energy, and everywhere risking their lives, 
and spending their last strength to rescue the helpless, and save them from 
impending death. , . . , , -u- 

A few brave men were still fighting the fire, and mining the buildings 
with gunpowder, on the South Side, others trying to rescue and succor the 
helpless. A little band of heroes from Milwaukee were making the last stand 
with their engines at Indiana street bridge. The last almost hopeless efforts 
were blessed with success. The fire was arrested and driven slowly from its 
prev But the great and beautiful citv was in ashes; its glory and its pride 
were in the dust, a boundless expanse of blackened ruins. For miles there 
was no sight or sound of life, only smoking heaps, solitary chimneys and 
towers, broken portals and ragged and tottering walls, with here and there 
the spectral outline of some great building empty and roofless and bare, a 
mournful scene of lonely desolation. We all know that Chicago has risen 
asain in greater magnificence than before. This was to be expected from the 
speedy resurrection of Rome, of London and of IMoscow. It was also to be 
expected from the sagacity, the foresight, the patient industry, the indom- 
itable courage and the high intelligence of our people. Individuals have lost 
their all. but the city knows no loss; it stands with its resources undiminished, 
its trade, its population, the value of its property largely increased. The 
burnt district in the business quarter in a single year has been mostly rebuilt 
in a style of greater solidity and of surptissing beauty. Two-thirds of the 
dwellings have been restored. In another year scarcely a vestige of the Great 
Fire will remain. This monument is being erected to keep that event in re- 
membrance, to make known to future ages our sense of its magnitude, our 
thankfulness to a merciful Providence for our rapid recovery, and our heart- 
felt and endless gratitude to a sympathising world for their over-flowing kind- 
ness, their unmeasured benefactions in the time of our sutTering." 

Central Park was opened to the jniblic in August, 1874, and the throng of 
people who visited the park on the occasion, and the concert days thereafter, 
was a highly satisfactory demonstration of the interest taken in the parks. 



— 68 — 

From the origin of the West Park Board in 1869, until jMarch 1st, 1877, 
the important offices and practical control of the Board had been in the same 
liands, until the retirement of E. F. Runyan, in the fall of 1876andthe appoint- 
ment of Hon. J. F. A. Muus as his successor caused a change in the balance of 
power, resulting in the election of Clark Lipe, President; AldenC. milliard, >ec- 
retary, and B. Loewenthal, Esq., President of the International Bank, Treas- 
urer; instead of Messrs. Stanford President, and Greenebaum Treasurer, -who 
had from the tirst occupied their respective positions. 

The Governor, at this time, attempted to remove four of the members, 
namely: Clark Lipe, President; A. C. Millard, Secretary; A. Muus and C. C. 
P. Holden, from the office of Park Commissioners; and'ou October 8th, 1877, 
each of the Commissioners named received a communication from the Gover- 
nor, from which the following is an extract: 

Sir: It has been evident for some time that the Board of West Chicago 
Park Commissioners, as at present constituted, has lacked the harmony neces- 
sary to enable it to do its duty in a manner which should be a credit to the 
individual members, and command the respect and confidence of the citizens 
of the town of West Chicago. The Board is divided into two parties, which 
seem to be irreconcilable, each demanding the removal of the whole or part of 
the opposing faction. I am fully convinced that in their capacity of Commis- 
sioners, the present members of the Board of West Chicago Park Commission- 
ers do not possess the kind of qualifications which are necessary to the dis- 
charge of the duties of said office, and that the successful administration of 
the Parks of West Chicago demands a change in said Board. I, therefore, by 
virtue of the power vested in me by the Constitution of the State of Illinois, 
do hereby remove C. C. P. Holden, Alden C. Millard, Clark Lipe, and J. F. 
Adolph Muus, West Chicago Park Commissioners, and declare their offices 
vacant. S. M. Cullom, 

Gorcrnor. 

On October 11th the Governor appointed the following named gentlemen 
West Chicago Park Commissioners: Peter Schlittler to succeed C. C. P. 
Holden, Emil Wilken to succeed Alden C. Millard, Sextus N. Wilcox to suc- 
ceed Clark Lipe, and E. E. Wood to succeed J. F. Adolph ]\Iuus. Peter 
Schlittler declined to accept the said appointment as to himself, and there- 
upon the Governor appointed John Brenock in his place. 

The Commissioners removed pronounced the Governor's action illegal and 
luiconstitutional and appealed to tJie courts for protection. Long and weary 
litigation followed, and by a decision of the Supreme Court the Governor was 
sustained in his removals; the assumption of a life interest in the office of 
Conunissioner was limited to a term of .seven years. 

The new administration, although organized on the 15th of ]March, 1878, 
did not gain possession of the office, books and documents until the 5th day of 
July following, when the financfal affairs of the Board were found to be iii an 
unsatisfactory condition; some time was required to ascertain the amount of tlie 
immediate liabilities of the Board for men's wages, bills for supplies for the 
Parks and amount of overdue interest, and the available resources to meet 
such claims. 

The new Board of Commissioners was comjiosed of the following gentle- 
men. Willard Woodard, President, Samuel II. McCrea, Sextus N. Wilcox, 
Joim Brenock, Auditor; Emil Wilken, E. Erwin Wood, George Kalilfs. P>er- 
tliold Loewenthal was Treasiu'er and R. McChesney Secretary. The follow- 
ing year Mr. John Buehler was appointed Treasurer and Y,. E. Wood 
Secretary. 

Many of the primary plans for developing the grounds and obtaining the 
l)est results from tlie unpromising blank on which first to operate — a flat, 
naked, cold and undrained jjraiiie of clay, destitute of any natural beauty, in 
landscape or otherwise — were of necessity experimental, and in some instances 
recjuired the handling and re-handling of earth two or three times to obtain 
satisfactory results. Eartli suited to the recjuirements of tree, siirub and lawn 
nature had not supplied, and without a .soil loamy and ricii, no sinidy grove 
or velvety lawn was jiossible. To supply this necessity, therefore, it became 
necessary to make up artificially large (piantities of compost, involving much 



— 71 — 

labor ami expense in collection and subsequent treatment of its ingredients. 
Garfield (then Central) Park was the first battle ground. The experimental 
park, though only partially developed, was thrown open to public use fully 
four years before either of the others, and during these four years the Park 
management were gaining in experience and wisdom, which accrued to the 
benefit of the other parks when active work was commenced therein. This 
work was continued in Douglas and Humboldt Parks under more favorable 
conditions. Labor and material were cheaper, and witli the experience ob- 
tained a given sum of money obtained a greater and more perceptible amount 
of improvement than a like sum would or could have done during the earlier 
labors of the Board. And, fortunately for the taxpaj'ers, arrangements were 
concluded by the Board by which two of the largest railway companies enter- 
ing Chicago disposed of the earth and ordure from their stock cars so that it 
was conveniently situated and readily available for use in any of the parks. 
The debit value of Garfield Park was increased by an abortive attempt to 
commemorate the great fire of 1871 by the afore mentioned monument, which 
entailed a cost of nearly $14,000, and which has long become a part of the earth 
surrounding it. 

Up to 1883 the citizens could not expect rapid development, much less 
great perfection of Park and Boulevards, while the Board had but the limited 
revenue of $100,000 from which all expense, both of new work and maintain- 
ing the old was taken. Thereafter a petition was presented and a bill intro- 
duced to the Legislature, providing for an additional tax of two and one-half 
mills, which added nearly $90,000.00 to the income. 

A movement sprung up in 1880 among certain property owners on the 
line of Humboldt Boulevard, with the intention to secure the building of a 
driveway similar to that connecting Garfield and Humboldt Parks, to extend 
north and east, and eventually connect with some similar driveway extending 
west from Lincoln Park. The Board then owned in the town of Jefferson the 
right of way for Boulevard purposes, extending north and east from Hum- 
boldt Park to Western Avenue, a distance of about 13.000 feet. That 
town at that time contributed in part the expense of grading and of planting 
trees. 

As a whole, there was probably never on this continent, nor in the old 
world, such a grand and complete conception of pleasure grounds and drives 
as was here presented. A great commercial mart of then over half a million 
souls, with rapidly increasing wealth and population, with untiring energy, 
and every condition that was necessary to insure its future position as the 
great metropolis of this continent, encircled on every side by park and drive- 
way, so developed, improved and perfected as shall render it a garden indeed; 
a restful spot, a breathing space of pure air, and free as the drawn breath to 
the thousands who may seek its quiet and repose; open to the son of toil and 
capitalist alike, and of such ample space as will meet the demands of a city of 
millions; surely the apprehension of this great idea was worthy of the far- 
sighted appreciation of the intelligent citizens of Chicago,and of the coming 
wants of this great city when its ample wealth shall insist upon the develop- 
ment of the esthetic as well as the material growth of its inhabitants. 

With such encouragement and material aid as was afforded by the intelli- 
gence and wealth which made up the city's greatness, one could with reason 
expect that the present generation would be able to enjoy the pleasure of 
twenty-five mdes of continuous driving, commencing at Lincoln Park on the 
north (a wonder in itself) then west, south and east through woodland and 
grove, by gravel road and rustic viaduct, by lake and stream and bubbling 
fountain, by greensward and velvety lawn, the air redolent with the perfume 
of a thousand flowers, and song of bird as clear and free as in virgin forest; 
till South Park, with all its grand appointments, is reached on the south. 

In 1881 the Board of West Chicago Park Commissioners consisted of tlie 
following gentlemen: Harvey L. Thompson, Consider li. Carter, George 
Ilahlfs, Samuel H. McCrea, John Brenock, Willard Woodard, Sextus. N. 
Wilcox, and J. Frank Lawrence. S. H. McCrea was President; John Buehler. 
Treasurer: Willard Woodard, Auditor; Thomas J. Suddard, Secretary, and 
O. F. Dubuis, Engineer. Mr. Wilcox was drowned in Lake Superior in June. 



— 72 — 

1881, and Mr. J. Frank Lawrence appointed to succeed liiin. John Breuock, 
who was elected President of the Board in 1882, resigned that ottice in March 
of thtit year, and Patrick J. iNIcGrath succeeded him. 

In connection with Mr. Wilcox, it may be mentioned, that early in the 
sprini;- of 1878, he attempted to remove the treasurer of the board, Mr. Bertli- 
old Lowenthal, from office and for no other perceptible reason than that Mr. 
Lowenthal refused to make loans out of the funds of his bank to the board, 
who at that time had to battle with might and main against tiuancial difficul- 
ties. The demand for his resignation was sent to hira in writing, but the 
sender had chosen a very inappropriate time for the delivery of the message, 
for on that very daj' ]\Ir. Lowenthal was carrying to the grave two of his be- 
loved children, who had suddenly been torn from him by relentless death. As 
no charges could he brought against 3Ir. Lowenthal, he of course paid no heed 
to the ill timed peremptory demand, and remained in office to the end of his 
term. 

In accordance with an act of the State Legislature, and a petition signed 
by the owners of a majority of the frontage of the abutting property, the City 
Council, on September 29, 1879, conveyed by ordinance to the Board of Com- 
missioners the control of Wa.shington Street, from Halsted Street to Garfield 
Park. On October 17, 1879, the Board, by formal action, secured control, and 
in 1881 the work was put under contract from Halsted Street to Rockwell 
Street. 

The Board of West Chicago Park Commissioners, in the years 1883-4, was 
constituted as follows: Henry S. Burkhardt, Patrick McGratli, Harvey L. 
Thompson, Christian C. Kohlsaat, George Rahlfs, David W. Clark and John 
Brenock, and in 1885-6 the members of the Board were the following: Chris- 
toph Tegtmeyer, Henry S. Burkhardt, Patrick McGrath, Harvey L. Thomp- 
son, Christian C. Kohlsaat, George Rahlfs, David W. Clark, with George 
Rahlfs as President. 

In the year 1885 contracts were let for the new greenhouse in Garfield 
Park and for the new conservatory in Humboldt Park. The green-houses are 
compo.sed of stone foundations, brick substructures and wood, and consist of 
e.xotic houses, hot, cold and propagating houses, boiler, fuel, potting and store 
rooms, offices, passages and entrance porches. The Humboldt Park houses 
were built with glass superstructures, and cover an area of about 15, 000 .square 
feet, divided as follows: Exotic house, 48x64 feet and 62 feet high; hot and 
cold houses 25x60 feet each, and four propagating houses, each 12x100 feet, 
and the remainder of the buildings for working rooms and passages. This 
plant is so arranged that the large and lofty exotic house is in the centre, sur- 
mounted by two cupolas, with hot and cold houses as wings at the .sides, 
entrance porches and offices in front, and working rooms in the rear, the pro- 
pagating houses radiating from the same. The Garfield Park plant covers an area 
about as great as that at Humboldt, divided as follows: An exotic house 48x48 
feet, and 65 feet high, hot and cold houses 26x55 feet each, and four propa- 
gating houses 12x100 feet each, and the remainder for working rooms and 
passages. The Garfield plant is so arranged that the exotic house, octagonal 
in shiipe and surmounted by a dome and cupola, occupies the center, with hot 
and cold hou.ses as wings on eitiier side, entrance porches and offices in front 
and working rooms in the rear, the propagating houses radiating from the 
same. Each plant is heated by a hot water system skilfully constructed, and 
so arranged that each house is independent of the other, and the water, after 
passing through almut 7,000 feet of pipe, returns to the two large boilers to 
be re-heated. The; main houses are covered with ribbed glass, decorated with 
stained glass, and have cement walks. The Humboldt Park conservatory was 
built at a cost of $22,594.08, and that in Garfield Park at about the same 
amount. 

Union Park, located just east of Ashland Avenue, on the line of Wash- 
ington Boulevard, was, by ordinance of tiie City Council jiassed October 9, 
1885, turned over to the Board of West Chicago Park Commissioners, and the 
Board accepted the control of same by ordinance passed October 12, 1885. 
Tliis Park, with Washington Boulevard extended through it, provided quite 
an acquisition to the Park system. It was acquired by the city by pur- 



— 73 — 

chase from S. S. Hayes, W. S. Johnston, Samuel L. Baker and others, in 
December, 1833, and February, 1854. It contains 14 4-5 acres and is bounded 
by West Lake Street, Bryan Place, Ogden, Warren and Ashland Avenues. 

Union I'ark was improved a few years ago as follows: The lake is 
divided into three parts: First, one basui 300x200 feet, of an oval form; 
the contours are regular and defined by a moulded stone coping laid on stone 
foundations. Opposite Park Avenue is a lake landing 06 feet long and 35 feet 
wide, divided in its center by broad stone steps, and ornamented with stone 
pedestals for vases and Hagstaff. The central feature is a canal 30 feet wide 
and 75 feet long, spanned by a stone bridge. The third feature is a basin 100 
feet in diameter, with stone railing and central decorative fountain. These 
basins are of Portland cement concrete, and the water in each is six inches on 
the edges, gradually tiecpening to three feet in the center. The walks are 
"well shaded, furnished with seats, and are much easier of ingress and egress 
than formerly. 

The olfice building erected in Union Park during 1888 at a cost of 
$15,864.60 is a picturesque structure, set back from frequented paths, as befits 
its purely business and {irivate character, and forms an agreeable feature of 
the park landscape. It has a stone basement, with a brick and frame super- 
structure and a one-story roof of tlie English cottage style, the gables being 
built with exterior timber and sluice panels. The entrance is through a 
veranda under the roof to the main business office, handsomely partitioned off , 
with a meeting room for the Board and offices for the President, Secretary 
and General Superintendent. In the basement are toilet rooms for ladies and 
gentlemen and a storage room for tools and implements. The interior fini.sh 
of the building is of red oak, and the walls are sand finished and painted a 
neutral green. Three large vaults have been built to accommodate the large 
mass of books and papers which have accumulated. The conservatory is 
limited in extent, its contents consisting principally of palms and ferns, but 
nevertheless a very pretty view as seen from the Board room windows. A 
graceful winding staircase leads up the interior of the tower, and to the 
rooms for the janitor and gardener. The material excavated from the 
basement has been utilized in filling the surroundings of the building and 
forming new lawns and terraces. A new driveway with an entrance from 
Bryan Place has also been constructed. The total cost of the improvements 
has been $19,135.09. 

Vernon Park, located on the line of Polk Street, between Center Avenue 
and Loomis Street, was on October 12, 1885. turned over to the Board of West 
Chicago Park Commissioners, who accepted control of same by ordinance 
passed November 9, 1885. This park, covering an area of four acres, laid 
about four feet below the level or grade of the surrounding property. Thir- 
teen thousand four hundred and sixty-three dollars and sixty-five cents were 
expended in re-constructing tliis park. Tlie total park area has been raised 
above the street grade, over 25,000 cubic j-ards of clay, sand and black soil 
have been used in the filling, 382 trees have been planted and 603 feet of stone 
curbing set. The park now is one of the most beautiful of the small parks in 
the city. It is in the center of a large and rapidly improving district, and will 
perhaps confer as much real benefit and pleasure to the public as any improve- 
ment heretofore made in our parks. It was donated to the city by Henry D. 
Gilpin, October 17, 1859, and is bounded by Macalister and Gilpin Places, 
Loomis, Sibley and Lytle Streets and Centre Avenue. 

Jefferson Park, located between Monroe and Adams Streets on the north 
and south and Throop and Loomis on the east and west, is a pretty little park 
of about five and one-half acres. It is in the form of a square, and is sur- 
rounded on all sides by tine residences. This park was, by ordinance of the 
City Council passed October 9, 1885, turned over to the Board of West Chicago 
Park Commissioners. 

Wicker Park, triangular in shape, located between Robey, Park and Fow- 
ler streets, in the northwest jiortion of the city, was turned over to the West 
Chicago Park Commissioners October 26, 1885. This park is inclosed on all 
sides by handsome residences, mostly owned by well-known and well-to-do 
Germans and Scandinavians. 



— 74- 

Tlie pul)lic spirit of the ])eople of West Chicago took form during the 
early winter of 1891 and resulted in the passage by the General Assembly of 
this State' of an Act, approved by Governor Joseph W. Fifer on the 12th day 
of June, 1891, authorizing the corporate authorities of the town of West Chi- 
cago to issue bonds for tlie ]jurpose of imjiroving and completing the parks 
and boulevards held, controlled and maintained by the Board of West Chicago 
Park Commissioners, excepting therefrom, however, all boulevards acquired 
from pre-existing streets. In compliance with the provisions of this Act, such 
proper action was taken on June 30, 1891, by the corporate authorities of the 
town of West Chicago, as was necessary to place in the hands of the Park 
Board bonds of the town of West Chicago aggregating the total sum of one 
million dollars, to be applied in improvements of tlie original Park and Boule- 
vard system as specified in such Act of the General Assembly. These bonds 
are payable within a period of twenty years from the first day of July, 1891, 
wnth semi-annual interest thereon at the rate of tive per cent, per annum. In 
order to secure the payment of the interest on those bonds as it becomes due 
from time to time, and also to pay and discharge the principal thereof, accord- 
ing to the provisions of said Act, as the same shall mature, the corporate 
authorities of the town of West Chicago, in strict compliance with their legal 
duties under the constitution and laws of the State of Illinois, have provide/1 
for the levy and collection of an annual tax of one and one-half mills of 
the dollar on all of the taxable property of the town of West Chicago. 
The bonds so issued and delivered by the town authorities of the town of 
West Chicago to the West Chicago Park Commissioners are of the denomi- 
nation of one thousand dollars each. The amount received by the Park Board 
applicable to general park purposes during the year 1891 was but one hundred 
and ninety-four thousand six hundred and twenty-six dollars and eighty-three 
cents. Of this amount one hundred and tifty-seven thousand eight hundred 
and thirty -four dollars and lifty-one cents were expended in the maintenance 
of the park system as it was then, leaving the sum of thirty-six thousand 
seven hundred and ninety-two dollars, thirty-two cents for expenditure upon 
new improvements. The extension of improvements upon the park system 
necessarily increased the amount necessary for the purpose of maintenance, 
and without the timely provision of the one million dollars obtained through 
the legislation above referred to, it would have been many years befoi'e the 
system of parks could have been completed. The burden to the tax-payer 
occasioned by the issue of the one million dollar bonds is imperceptible when 
the beneficent results of a complete park system are considered and appreci- 
ated. These bonds came to the aid of the West Chicago Park Commissioners 
in a most opportune time, and enabled the Board to place its parks and 
l>leasure-ways in a most attractive condition at all times, and especially for the 
delight and enjoyment of the millions who are our guests during the World's 
Columbian Exposition. Contracts were at once awarded for all the material 
necessary in the construction of the boulevards and for the completion of the 
unimproved portions of Douglas, Garfield and Humboldt Parks, and for such 
additional buildings as have been deemed necessary. 

Contracts were also let for the construction of a bridge across the west 
branch of the south branch of the Chicago river and the building of a bridge 
in conjunction with the South Park Commissioners across the Illinois and 
Michigan Canal; both bridges were built within the South-West Boulevard. 
The construction of these two bridges effectually luiites the South Park and 
the West Park systems, and gives to the world a iMiblic jileasure-way unsur- 
passed anywher(> in length, width and attractiveness for jdeasure seekeis. 

On March 14th, of this year, Governor Altgeld appointed the following 
as members of the West Chicago Park Board : 

John W. Garvey to suceed'George Mason, E Imund Z. Bnidowski to suc- 
ceed John Kralovec, resigned; Andrew J. (irahara to succeed Hermann 
Weinhardt, resigned; Carl Moll to succeed Harvey L. Thompson resigned; 
and James J. Townsend to succeed Jefferson L. Fulton, resigned. 



77- 



HUMBOLDT PARK. 



This popular pleasure garden is situated in the northwestern part of the 
city, the two main entrances being on California Avenue at the intersection 
of this street with Division Street and North Avenue. It offers to friends of 
nature a greater wealth of picturesque views and sylvan retreats, than any 
other of our artificial forests and is especially fortunate in having been laid 
out and fostered by enlightened taste and skill, displayed in a high degree by 
Mr. Frederick Karnatz, the veteran landscape gardener and superintendent 
of this charming park. Here as in all of our other large public parks much 
money was spent in ornamental and landscape gardening, the fruits of which 
the large number of noble trees, judiciously and picturesquely planted, add' 
the greatest value to these grounds. Of course here too all the landscape, so 
to speak, had to be manufactured, but the grounds being naturally soine- 
what higher than those at Garfield and Douglas Parks, less difficulty was en- 
countered in preparing the waste lands for their blessed purpose. The main 
feature of Humboldt Park is to be found in the magnificence and healthy ap- 
pearance of the great number and large variety of shade trees. The well 
kept driveways and footpaths leading through the length and width of the 
park present a series of natural vistas of land and lake scenery, which break 
like sudden glimpses of fairy-land upon the gaze of the delighted pilgrim 
from the hot and dusty city. A net-work of such drives and walks leads 
deftly over hilly formations, through forest-like groves, through glade and 
glen ; they take us from changing sunshine to shadow, from the margin of 
the glittering lake to.beds of fragrant flowers, to ever recurring vistas of rare 
beauty and variety — these, and the skilful arrangement of the flower garden 
in front of the palm house, the judicious grouping of blooming shrubberies 
here and there and many other beautiful things besides have transformed 
this spot into one of the liveliest and most delightful suburban parks in this 
country. 

It was opened to the public in July 1877, but was at that time only par- 
tially completed. The Germans of Chicago, of whom a large number reside 
in the northwestern part of the city and the vicinity of the park, were greatly 
pleased when this park was named after the great naturalist and master in 
science, Alexander von Humboldt, their illustrious countryman, and they 
celebrated the day of the opening, it being a Sunday, in regular German 
fashion. They had a large and imposing street-procession, which was fol- 
lowed at the park by music, song and speeches, the whole taking the shape 
of a highly enjoyable "Volksfest." 

The promise given by Humboldt Park at that early day, when it yet was 
in its infancy, has been faithfully kept, thanks to the skilful hand of the 
aforementioned landscape gardener. In no other of our parks is the separa- 
tion of the system of park-landscapes from that of garden-landscapes so 
plainly visible and so ably carried through as in this model-park. Humboldt 
Park has an area of 200 acres, of whichln 1891 only half were under cultiva- 
tion. Since then however the entire northwestern part which until then had 
been a barren waste, has been taken in hand by a host of workmen, who are 
transforming all that territory into beautiful groves, lawns, drives and lakes. 
For these extensive improvements the board of commissioners appropriated 
no less than $220,000, this sum being a part of the $1,000,000 derived from the 
sale of bonds authorized by the state legislature. The new work comprises 
the excavations for a new lake, which will have an average width of 400 feet 
and will cover an area of about 31 acres. On its northern shore a handsome 
Casino, to cost f 00,000, is now in the course of construction; it will be three 
stories high, and beneath it on the lakeshore will be the boat landinu;-piace. 
This part of the park was also chosen for the erection of a handsomH%nu«ic- 
pavilion and promises as a whole to add quite an attractive feature to lovely 



— 78 — 

Humboldt Park. All these improvements were greatly hindered in their 
progress by the long weeks of rainy weather in the spring of 1892, to which 
is owing the fact, that instead of bringing this new section to completion at 
the end of last year, it will not be read}' for public use before next fall. 

On the 16th day of October last (1892) there was unveiled in this park a 
very handsome bronze statue of Alexander von Humboldt, after whom the 
park was named. Fully 20,000 persons — some enthusiasts go so far as to 
claim double that number — witnessed the dedication. Even the lesser number 
was a tremendous outpouring considering the limited means of transportation 
to the beautiful park. The occasion was one long to be remembered, not 
only by the thousands of Germans who participated, but b}' the countless 
numbers of other nationalities present. Vast as was the crowd, it testified in 
mute though powerful manner to the truism that a truly great man belongs 
to no one nation. It seemed as if by silent agreement all the speakers on 
this occasion had taken this truism as their leading thought, for all dwelt up- 
on the fact that, abstruse as scientific research of necessity is, Humboldt had 
in a rare degree the faculty of teaching all people of whatever nation and 
whatever walk in life. It was a glorious and impressive tribute to the great 
man's "Kosmos." There was, of course, a grand parade of civic societies; 
there was '-music by the band" as well as by vocal societies, and there was an 
elaborate oratorical programme — separately and together effective, but far 
more impressive than it all was the great throng of people that was massed 
around the central space in front of the old pavilion, where the bronze figure 
of Humboldt stands, the earnest face whith its massive brow and the sharply 
accentuated features turned toward the rising sun. The Humboldt statue, 
the generous gift of Mr. F.J. Dewes, a prominent and highly respected Ger- 
man citizen of Chicago, is pronounced by connoisseurs a masterpiece of the 
sculptor's art. It was cast in the famous foundry of Gladenbeck & Son, in the 
German capital. Its height is ten feet and it shows the great savant in the 
position of a lecturer. In the half raised right hand, which rests against the 
body, he holds a flower, while the left, in which is clasped a book, rests easily 
upon the limb of the tree trunk by his side. Partly visible is a globe at his 
feet, alongside of which the head of an animal and other symbolic figures are 
seen, indicating the various sciences in which the great naturalist excelled. 
The whoje breathes truth and warmth, pulsating life; the figure shows noble 
dignity, and the artist has admirably succeeded in portraying Humboldt's 
nobility of soul, genius and self-reliance. The observer is deeply impressed 
with the repose and equipoise so dominant in this work of art, and by all real 
artists considered the first law of sculpture. The monument is an original 
work of Felix Goerling, a young German artist of rare talents. The granite 
pedestal was designed and executed by H. C. Hoffman & Co., of this city. It 
is made from the celebrated Freeport, Me, granite. Tiie ceremony of un- 
veiling the statue was conducted under the auspices of the German Press 
club. The first step in the direction of making arrangements worthy of the 
occasion was taken by several friends of F. J. Dewes, the donor of the statue, 
during his absence in Europe last summer. A committee of thirteen was 
chosen, and as a large majority of these were also associate members of the 
German Press club, the desire was expressed that this organization should 
take full charge of the preparations. The entire committee, to which two mem- 
bers of the Humboldt Celebration club — an organization formed for the sole 
purpose of arranging the parade of societies who participated in the ceremon- 
ies — were added, was as follows: 

A. C. Hesing, Ed. Uihlein, John Buehler, 

C. H. Plautz, Louis Wolff. J. Rosenthal, 

Harry Rubens, Edward Rose, H. Greenebaum, 

J. Goldzier, A. St. George, Dr. H. Harms, 

H. VVeinhardt, F. Am berg, Edward Koch, 

Andreas Simon, Theo. Janssen, Dr. M. Henius, 

Paul Hnedicke, F. Glos^auer, J. P. Arnold, 

Dr. P. H. Bernard, E. F. L. Gauss, Felix L. Senff. 

Car] Haerting, 



— 81 — 

Henry Greenebaum was selected as chief marshal and Jacob Gross, 
George Heinzmann and Franz Amberg were his aids. The arrangements in 
the park, for seating the distinguished guests, several hundred singers, and 
particularly for handling the vast crowds were in charge of Park Commis- 
sioner Weinhardt, and it is but just to state that not a single hitch occurred to 
mar the impressiveness of the scene. The formal programme opened with the 
arrival of the parading societies, twenty in number and several thousand 
strong, held well in line by Major Heinzmann, the chief of staff. Tlie Hum- , 
boldt Select Knights of America, in very handsome regalisi, formed a circle 
around the veiled statue and Professor Hand's orchestra intoned a liymnus, 
which was followed by Mohr's Cantata "At the Altar of Trutli," executed by 
the following singing societies, under direction of Gustav Ehrhorn: Teutonia 
Maennerchor, Schiller Liedertafel, Liedertafel Vorwaerts, Freie Saenger- 
bund, Humboldt Saengerclub, Almira Saengerclub. Then Mr, A. C. Hesing, 
president of the monument committee, formally presented the statue to the west 
park board in a German speech full of his characteristic vigor and earnest- 
ness. Formal though the remarks of necessit}'- were, Mr. Hesing was again 
and again interrupted by applause, especially when in conclusion he said: 
"Thismonument will not only be an ornament to the city, but it will prove a 
mighty incentive to deep thought and intellectual activity to every beholder. 
Douglas, Drexel, Martin Ryerson's Indian group, Schiller, Lincoln, LaSalle, 
Linmieus and Grant ornament our parks and give silent but effective proof of 
the drift of our people. For Alexander von Humboldt no better place could 
have been chosen than this beautiful park that bears his name." 

Then, amid the vociferous cheers of the thousands, little Martha Wein- 
hardt, daughter of the park commissioner, unveiled the statue, and when 
Chief Marshal Greenebaum deposited two beautiful floral tributes from the 
Schlaraflia and from the Citizens' club of Avondale upon the pedestal, cheers 
upon cheers were given by the multitude. 

Harvey L. Thompson, president of the West park board, accepted the 
magnificent gift in a speech full of enthusiasm, in which he said : To the 
people of Chicago the present occasion is one for sincere congratulation. The 
thoughtful and generous gift of Mr. Dewes to the people of this city is an- 
other evidence of that large hearted interest manifested by so many public 
spirited gentlemen by contributing in a public way something to the adorn- 
ment of our public places and pleasure grounds. Chicago is without a rival 
in the extent and magnificence of her pleasure domains and the splendid 
work of art presented to us to-day by one of our citizens and neighbors is an 
assured promise that the high born spirit of her people, destined to make 
Chicago peerless among the cities, will also secure to her public places those 
works of art — those fascinating expressions of the human affections, which so 
aptly illustrate the progress of an intrepid and exalted civilization. 

Mayor Washburne made a happy speech on behalf of the city and Dr. 
Max Henius, president of the German Press club, paid a masterly tribute to 
Humboldt in a speech in the German language. The English orativm of the 
occasion was by Professor Albion W. Small, of the University of Chicago. He 
expressed his sincere re<xret that Professor von Hoist, who at first had been 
invited, had not yet sufficiently recovered his strength to be present. How- 
ever, the desire to offer a courtesy to the University of Chicago by givine a 
part in the celebration to some one of its members, was a mark of distinction 
which it was an honor to acknowledge. 

Another monument will soon adorn this park. It will be a statue of Fritz 
Reuter, the Charles Dickens of the "Plattdeutsche" people. The money has 
all been subscribed and the statue is to be cast in one of the celebrated found- 
ries of Germany. 



— 83 



GARFIELD PARK. 



Not until after the death of President Garfield, was the name of Central 
Parli clianged to Garfield Park and then the change was made as a tribute to 
the memory of the illustrious dead. 

This Park is situated about midway between Humboldt and Douglas 
Parks, about four to five miles from the Court House. It is reached by the 
Madison Street, Lake Street and Randolph Streetcar lines and by Washington 
Boulevard. The Central Boulevard from Humboldt to Garfield Park has been 
handsomely improved during the last season and now furnishes to owners of 
private vehicles an elegant roadway for a pleasure drive. A very important 
improvemeut on the line of this boulevard is the viaduct over the Chicago, 
]Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway tracks, the roadway of which has been ])aved 
by the Railroad Company, who also erected a substantial railing ou each .side 
of it. This viaduct was thrown open for public travel May 15, 1886. Con- 
siderable planting was done on the approaches leading to this structure and 
nearly all the ornamentation with shrubs and trees was executed under the 
personal supervisiou of Mr, George Rahlfs, then commissioner and president 
of the Park Board, and It stands as a monument to his good judgment and 
taste. 

The many hundreds of handsome shade-trees and shrubs scattered over 
the 185 acres of Garfield Park show signs of a healthy growth and form pretty 
little groves -and picturesque groups. The art of the gardener during the sum- 
mer months transforms a considerable part of the velvety lawns into gorgeous 
and odorous flower-parterres of various shapes and designs, but the interior of 
the elegant greenhouse standing in the extreme southwestern corner of the 
park, is a beauty all the year around. Here Mr. Sell, the head gardener, 
propagates and cultivates not only the many varieties of bedding plants for 
outdoor ornamentation, but also some of the choicest species of tropical and 
exotic plants; especially rich is the collection of orchids, which is quite large 
and contains some very interesting species of this genus of plants. The park- 
lake, which covers an area of seventeen acres, and contains two pretty islands, 
proves one of the main attractions this park possesses. The piazzas of the re- 
fectory or refreshment pavilion afford verj' fine views over lake and parkiands 
and the boat landing directly below with its merry people either embarking 
for a i-ide on the smooth water or returning from a trip full of joy and glee. 

In 1879 the Illinois Humane Society donated to tliis park a "substantial 
and beautiful drinking fountain for man and beast. The money for this de- 
sirable improvement was contributed by JNIrs. Mancpl Tidcott and the donation 
was in harmony with the liberal spirit of her late husband, and only one of the 
charita])le acts of the donor. 

In May, 1875, ])ermission was given to a number of gentlemen to use tlie 
unimproved part of Garfield Park lying south of Madison Street and extend- 
ing from there as far south as Colorado Avenue as a driving park, but it served 
this purpose only for a brief period and is now being changed into extensive 
lawns for ba.se ball, cricket and other outdoor s])orts. where i)eoi)le, who fre- 
quent the park in jiursuit of pleasure and recreation, will find increased fac- 
ilities for satisfying their desires. The present Park Board has in contem- 
])lation the erection of a Museum of Natural History in this portion of the park- 
territory and if this plan shoidd be carried out, Garfield Park would certainly 
then become the mecca of a vastly larger niuiil)er of i)eo]ile, than have hereto- 
fore visited this lovelj' spot. Tiiere is also under coiisideration the erection of 
a suitable monument to the memory of our martyr President James A. Gar 
field, at the Washington Boulevard entrance to the park, and a committee has 



— 85 — 

been appointed to co-operate with the citizens of the West Division, to secure 
such a monument, as would be an ornament to the ])ark, and keep alive in the 
memory of our people the noble traits and character of this distinguished cit- 
izen. 

Garfield Park is bounded on the North by Kinzic Street, on the East by 
Central Park Avenue, on tlie South by Colorado Avenue and on the West by 
Hamlin Avenue. The artesian well, the water of which contains medicinal 
properties for stomach and kidney diseases, ha^ a flow of about 150 gallons a 
minute. The result of an analysis of this water is given on another page of 
this book 

Garfield Park, like all the rest of the parks, will become more and more 
attractive year by year and the purely artificial will gradually assunie its ap- 
propriate place in the natural. The location of the parks out on the ]irairie- 
land of the West Side has been of inestimable value not only to the City of 
Chicago as a corporate body, but also to individual citizens, who have profited 
by large increases of real estate values tliroughout the surrounding districts; 
but this has been especially tlie case in the vicinity of Garfield Park and the 
avenues leading to it from the city. The actual worth of a plat of land or a 
building has as truly been increased by the parks being brought to it, as the 
actual wortli of a bushel of corn is increased by its being brought from the 
prairies of our State to a storehouse in New York. And then look at the bus- 
iness that has been created by tlie establishment of parks! It has spread so 
widely in every direction as to be beyond calculation. It may be assumed, for 
instance, that of the large number of vehicles which enter our parks, nearly 
one half if not more are hired. The profits of the livery business arising from 
the use of vehicles for drives to the parks and over our boulevards are shared 
in small portions by many hundreds or thousands of men, by the owners of the 
vehicles, the drivers, the stable men, the mechanics who build the carriages 
and manufacture the harnesses, the breeders who raise tlie horses and the 
farmers who produce the hay and grain upon which they are fed. Again the 
street car companies and even the steam railroads which approach the parks 
convey each year millions of passengers each way and of the fares they receive 
about two-thirds must be considered as net profit, for it happens that the tide 
of travel to and from the parks sets in just at the hours, when there is a lull 
in the ordinary business transit. 

But great as is this pecuniary advantage to the city and to individuals, it 
is the least of the benefits arising from the parks. Every thing is useful just 
in proportion as it in some way adds to human enjoyment. A good dinner, 
a convenient house, elegant furniture, fine clothing, ornaments, a swift horse, 
or a fast yacht, are useful in this respect and no otlier. So pictures, statuary 
and music are useful. In fact, the common distinction between tlie useful 
and the ornamental is really baseless. The parks are useful, liecause they add 
to human enjoyment. But the amount of enjoyment derived from anything 
is not unfrequently wholly incapable of being expressed in dollars and cents. 
If we could find out just how much each of the millions of visitors to our 
parks would give rather than not have the parks open to them, we could ap- 
proximate a little toward their value. Even this would be only an approxima- 
tion, for not unfrequently people derive more benefit than they dream of from 
enjoyments for which there is no monetary measure. No man can say, for 
example, liow much the health of our city is owing to the parks. 




DOUGLAS PARK. 



The main drive from the Plumane Fountain in Garfield Park to the main 
drive in Douglas Park is called Douglas Boulevard, which forms an inijjortant 
link in the chain of drives, connecting the three great parks of the West Side 

Douglas Park, four miles southwest of the Court House, contains 179 acres. 
The chief beauties of this park are found in its magnificent lake, its beautiful 
foliage trees, lovely floral decorations and the newly imi)roved section lying 
soutli of ( )gden Avenue, where, in 1S90, a large Palm house, called the Winter- 
garden, was constructed. This building and its surroundings, although simple 
in detail, combine to produce an elegant effect and are unique in the park 
system of Chicago. The AVintergarden is built on an elevation fronting 
towards Ogden Avenue, about midway between the east and west lines of the 
park. In this new improvement a large lawn at the southwest end, of suffic- 
ient size for amateur ball games, tennis courts and for militia drills, has been 
laid out. This was thought especially desirable, as heretofore there was no such 
large lawn in any of the west side parks. South of this lawn is a lake, the excava- 
tions from which were used for the necessary filling, as the ground of that 
portion of Douglas Park was below the grade of the adjacent streets. The 
lake connects under Ogden Avenue with the older lake to the north of the 
avenue, and the Wintergarden stands in the midst of terraces, which continue 
down to the lake to a boat landing at the south. These terraces accommodate 
(piite a large concourse of people, and there is a band stand so placed as to ad- 
mit a large audience within easy hearing distance. The Wintergarden build- 
ing is 178 feet long by 63 feet wide at the widest part. It has a center pa- 
vilion forty feet square, with wings on the east and west, each wing terminat- 
ing in an aquilateral cross, the arms being si.xty-two feet by thirty feet. The 
center pavilion is approached from the north and south through wide ves- 
tibules, the approach on the Ogden Avenue side containing also the olfices of 
the head gardenisr, ladies' toilet, the stairs to the basement and to the gallery 
over the vestibule. 

In the center pavilion and in the east wing the plants are mostly set di- 
rectly into the ground. Here are cultivated the largest tropical j)iants, such 
as palms, ferns, banana-trees, etc. The entire iinprovement, which also em- 
braces a large lily-]wnd west of the Wintergarden building, was made at an 
expense of about $60,000. 

But the park has many other attractive features. The artesian well in an 
embowered grotto feeds the lake and is visited by many on account of the 
medicinal properties of its water, which however is not considered as valuable 
in that respect as tlie water from the well in Garfield Park, from where liun- 
dreds and thousands of gallons are annually carried away in jugs to private 
residences throughout the surrounding districts. 

From the balconies of the spacious and well equipped refectory is had a 
fine view of the lake and the most striking vistas of the groimds. Ntunerous 
costly improvements have been completed hereduring the la.st few seasons among 
which the new greenliouses erected on California Avenue near Nineteenth 
Street take a high rank; then the park has been provided with one ladies' and 
one gentlemen's cottage building and with a band pavilion. Tiie old prop- 
agating houses formerly situated near ('alifornia and Ogden Avenues have 
been entirely removed and the i)lace laid bare thereby has been transformed 
into a lawn to be used for fioral decorations. 

I)ouglas Park, which was named after the renowned statesman from Illi- 
nois, Stephen A. Douglas, is reached by the Ogden Avenue and West Twelfth 
Street car lines, the distance being about four miles from the Court House. 




Resicleiicn <»f Andrew l^eiclit, near T.inroln Park. 



— 89 — 

A monument to the memory of Stephen A. Doughis will undoubtedly 
before long become an important link in the chain of attractive features 
this lovely park jiossesses. 

To tiie popular superintendent, Mr. Nelson Johnson, and the gardener in 
chief, Mr. Zapel, is due in a great measure the credit of keeping steadily in 
view the one object of making the park a pleasure ground, admitting nothing 
which would interfere with this, prohibiting nothing which would conduce to it, 
and as mentioned before, the Commissioners have wisely set apart a portion of the 
newly improved section south of Ogden Avenue for a parade ground, cricket, 
the "national game" base ball, etc. The certainty, that upon any day there 
is access to the green-sward, forms one of the greatest attractions of the i)ark, 
especially for those, to whom of all others it is for the well-being of the com 
munity tliat the place should be rendered attractive. The toil-worn artisan, 
his W'eary wife and pining children are assured, that on any bright summer or 
autumn day they will find sward and shade open to them, and their welcome 
face therefore becomes more and more frequent in the park. 

And now in this connection let us measure out full praise to the men, who, 
from the year 1869 to the present day, have given their time and personal ef- 
forts to the grand work of creating and maintaining the great Park-System of 
the West Side. From first to last the administration of the West Park Com- 
missioners has been not only pure, but unsuspected, and few residents of our 
City need be told how much private worth and public spirit is embodied in 
the men who have faithfully and without pecuniary reward served the people 
in the capacity of West Park Commissioners. The honest and capable admin- 
istration of all of our parks stands in pleasing contrast to many other depart- 
ments of our public service. 




CSP? 



90 



WEST SIDE BOULEVARDS. 



At Halsted Street it is where the grand boulevard system of the West 
Side begins. Pick your way among the shuttling street cars, avoiding the 
population, which is heavy in that section, until you reach Jackson Street, or 
rather Boulevard, for a boulevard it became in name something over two 
years ago through a decision of the Supreme Court. And now it's a boule- 
vard intact, and one of the finest long drives in the city, famed for its mag- 
nificent stretches of roadway. Jackson Boulevard, with its unpretentious 
gate, flanked on one side by a theatre building, on the other by a typical 
Halsted Street saloon, stretches away from there as far as the eye can reach. 
The roadway, forty-four feet wide, smooth as a marble mantel in a parlor, is 
one of the best bits of asliphaltum work in the world. On each side of the 
street is a parked strip of green running along the smooth asphaltum as 
regularly as binding on a garment, separating the sufficient sidewalks from 
the drive. At regular intervals, twenty-five feet apart, trees, young but full 
of promise, bear pretty if not abundant foliage, and between them at stated 
intervals are ornamental boulevard lamps on artistic supports. You drive 
along by rows of houses that are comfoVtable even if the elegance that you 
might expect to see on a boulevard is wanting. Right here is where you want 
to bring your reflective and comparative quality into action and figure it out 
that not much more than a year ago the boulevard was only a plain, hard- 
working, every-day street, so rough, that the babies were liable to be jolted 
out of your family carriage during an afternoon's drive. Vou will be bound 
to admit that the asphaltum roadway can't be surpassed, and the beauti- 
ful foliage and the boulevard appurtenances generally grow more pleasing 
as you drive along. And occasionally you see evidences of the boulevard 
spirit cropping out in improvements on the old houses, that were good enougii 
for a "street," but were thought shabby for a boulevard. Here and there on 
each side you come upon a new residence that causes you to appreciate the 
fact that the boulevard spirit has been perfected. For there are residences, 
new ones, that are models. At every cross street we see evidences of airs be- 
ing taken on in the way of improvements, and by the time Ashland Avenue is 
reached and crossed you are convinced that nothing can beat Chicago and its 
roadways. At that point, as you look west, the trees and the lamp posts be- 
gin to come together far away, and Jackson Boulevard seems to have an end 
in a yellow house with green blinds, and you gain the impression that you 
have struck a blind boulevard. But you keep on and you see your error, and 
at the same time a little bit of platting tiiat you will find only in Chicago. 
Beautiful "winding ways" are often seen, l)ut a boulevard witli a right angle 
curve in it is .something entirely Chicagoesque. A long time ago people who 
owned prairie land out tliere concluded that the turnpike down to the city 
would never need to run further than Hoyne Avenue, so somebody built a 
liouse right across the road. His heirs and tiie heirs of his neighlwrs to the 
west hold the property, and when the course of empire got to Hoyne Avenue 
it had to go north a few feet and turn a corner, and so Jackson Boulevard 
comes to have an angle in it. 

But it does not atfect it, for it's rather refreshing to swing around the cor- 
ner, for you come on to a continuation of the boulevard stretching away to 
the west, beautiful as ever, with its foliage and manor swards of green. The 
end comes at the portion of (Jarfield Park soutli of Madison Street, whicli is 
now in the hands of the landscape artist and the workmen. The old trotting 



— 93 — 

track has been torn up, and it will be the work of but few nionths to convert 
the present unsightly lield into a splendid recreation ground for the jjeople. 
It will include a speed track for horsemen, tracks for wheel riders and other 
special features for tlie entertainment of patrons. It is indeed a beautiful sight 
to look down the beautiful boulevard, behold the enterprise, and to view the 
general improvement about its western terminus. But you can't go further 
west just now without crossing the improvements under way, so turn the rig 
around, or "right about face," and enjoy again the ease of Jackson Boulevard 
back to the fashionable thoroughfare of the West Side — magnificent and 
stately Ashland Boulevard, whose only fault is that there is not enough of it 
between Lake and Twelfth Streets, which mark its termini. 

Ashland Boulevard really begins at the north end of Union Park, but the 
few blocks of it that skirt that pretty little breathing place are generally con- 
sidered as a part of the park, and the broad boulevard begins where it is 
crossed by Madison Street, which stretches away to the east and west, tjie 
most imposing retail business thoroughfare in the West. To Ashland Boule- 
vard there is neither beginning nor end so far as its stateliness is concerned. 
It is as wide as Michigan Boulevard and its roadway is much superior to the 
South Side drive so famed and popular. The parking of the boulevard is 
tasteful, and tiie general outlay of the thoroughfare is on a scale of magnifi- 
cent distances. First one sees from ]\Iadisou Street the ma.ssive Third Presby- 
terian Church, and across a triangle from it ri.ses, at the junction of Monroe 
Street, Ogden Avenue and the boulevard, the pretty church of the Fourth 
Baptist congregation, one of the most striking buildings in all Chicago. The 
contrast in these two edifices is only a hint of the variety in architecture and 
design that is encountered as the drive along the boulevard is pursued. Ash- 
land Boulevard seems to be the one belt in Chicago that the smoke always 
avoids. There is not a shadow of uncleanliness there. The white stone houses 
that men built before they learned what a mon.ster soft-coal-devouring Chicago 
was going to be, are as immaculate as when they were erected. To the left 
in driving north after crossing Monroe Street, one comes on the white-fronted 
buildings of the Illinois Club — real swell, and much the same to the West 
Side that the Calumet is to the South Side. Across the broad street stands a 
row of fine houses resting under the shade of great trees. It's alwa3's so 
white, this row of houses, that it has come to be known as "ghost row." ' The 
houses are of the old swell front, high-stoop style. They lack the modern, 
but they do look so comfortable and respectable, that one keeps on thinking 
well of them, even when the great and striking mansions that, in spacious 
grounds, line the boulevard further south, bid him stop in admiration. 

A characteristic of Ashland Boulevard is that every inch of ground has 
not yet been given up to brick and stone. Its chief charm, indeed, is, that 
distance prevails everywhere. The houses are not glued together. All of the 
great mansions have settings of their own, great green yards with grav- 
eled walks and drives and flower beds and shade trees, with' lots of room for 
the children, for lawn tennis devotees, and for fresh air. The style of archi- 
tecture prevailing in the latest improvements on the boulevard is massive, but 
there is no crowding. 

Wliere Jackson and Ashland Boulevards cross is a beauty-spot. Carter 
H. Harrison lives there in a house that is old and out of date, but one sees so 
little of the house, and the surroundings are so stately, so comforting, that 
one wonders how the owner could cherish an ambition for any other pleasure 
than simply living there in the old house. So Ashland Boulevard runs its 
course with l)eauty, elegance, variety and spaciousness on every hand, im- 
proving from end to end. That it is in great favor as a driveway, one learns 
as he jiicks his way along its crowded asphaltum pavement "on a summer 
evening, and dodging here and there, and everywhere wheelwomen who seem 
to find in Ashland Boulevard the choicest place of any for tlieir invigorating 
recreation. There is much to see in the way of elegant streets from tlie Boule- 
vard besides its own residences and stately edifices. From the drive one 
has a view of these eminently respectable and staid home streets, Adams, ^Mon- 
roe, Van Buren and Harrison, and of marvelously developing Polk and Tay- 
lor Streets. To the left, one sees the "medical" di.strict, from the center of 



— 0-1 — 

■which one sees tlie buildings that constitute the County Hospital. Surround- 
ing them he sees the medical colleges, private hospitals, schools and other 
public buildings. But all too soon Ashland Boulevard comes to an end, and 
Ashland Avenue continues on its course, still a good average street, far be- 
yond the stock-yards, where it is tinally lost in the prairies. As the end 
copies, one looks back with admiration on the broad road, with its regular 
trees, its pretty lamjjs and its wide sidewalks, separated from the broad road- 
way by the smooth greensward; and there is a regret that there is only a mile 
of the boulevard. The avenue should be asphalted further south than 
Twelfth Street, and this will probably be done. 

But there is consolation to the summer evening-outer, for at Twelfth Street 
he leaves Ashland Boulevard for another grand drive — maybe not so beautiful 
as to all its surroundings, but certainly most inviting. Twelfth Street is (<ne 
of the city's wonders. The stranger who turns on to it from the Ashland Road 
is amazed, for right at that junction he becomes impressed with the wonder- 
ful versatility of the "marvel city." For Twelfth Street Boulevard is demo- 
cratic. One can find everything there. The asphaltum pavement in the cen- 
ter, wide and smooth as any in the country, is perfectly parked for an even, 
mile. On either side of it run street-car tracks and traffic roads paved with 
blocks. These are separated from the boulevard proper by plats twelve feet 
wide, bearing small but splendid trees, from the foliage of wliich, when they 
have grown, shade will b.e cast alike on the equipages that are entitled to roll 
along the smooth drive and on the humble yellow street-cars, laden with hard- 
working people, that toil along on either side. There are no angles on Twelfth 
Street Boulevard. It is laid out with beautiful lines. The curbs are roimded. 
At the street intersections the parks between the drive and the traffic roads 
come to no abrupt angular ends. They terminate in curved inclosures, and 
this plan constitutes one of the most plea.sing features of the boulevard. The 
sidewalks are wide and the greensward that lines the edge of the pavements 
of the other city boulevard is also found on Twelfth Street. The sidewalks 
are also lined with young trees planted regularly, giving four rows of trees 
that make attractive lines of green from Ashland Boulevard to Oakley Street. 
Twelfth Street Boulevard is not a residence thoroughfare. Neither is it a bus- 
iness street. It's a people's road. It is lined with business buildings in the 
main, but a portion of every building is given up to homes. The buildings, 
or at least such of them as have been erected since Twelfth Street took on 
boulevard airs, are modern, substantial, and of unending variety. No busi- 
ness in particular is in the ascendency. Everything is, of course, on the re- 
tail plan. Dry goods stores, groceries, meat markets, beer saloons, undertak- 
ing establishments, and ail other conceivable enterprises flourish side by side. 
What few structures there are along the line devoted to strictly home pur- 
poses are of unpretentious mien. Indeed, a good many of them are shab))y, 
but that there is a pride among the residents is demonstrated by the constant 
swish of the paint brush and the broom. For everything along the boulevard 
is as scrupulously clean as the little thatched cot of the poem that school chil- 
dren weep over. There are more children on Twelfth Street Boulevard than 
on any other in the city, and they enjoy tlie street. They come from the nar- 
row, imimproved, and in many uistances miserable streets that inlensect the 
wide-stretching boulevard, which is their park and playgrounil. They drive 
their goats and dogs hitched to their box — many of them soap-box — carts 
about, fully as happy and equally as healthy as their neighbors on the more 
aristocratic streets. The drive makes everybody equal, for its beauties are as 
free and accessible to the man who is driving along in charge of a sawdust 
cart or a coal wagon on one of the traffic roads as tliey are to the person who 
lolls on luxurious cushions in a carriage on the wide stretch of asphaltiun. 
Twelfth Street lioulevard is the peojjle's liighway. It's as big as the people. 
It is by far the widest road in town, and to the eye it is the most stately, even 
though it lacks imposing architectural surroundings founil on other boule- . 
vards. And tooni; who reflects and compares there come wonderful manifes- 
tations of the achievements of Chicago's dash and progress. The improve- 
ment has been of an amazing (piality and a lasting quality. And if one sighs 
for the spice of life, variety, he can get it by looking either way from the boule- 




Kesideuce of \Vt st I'aik (oimnissioner Heiinauii AVeinhardt. 
neHr Wicker I'ark. 



— 97 — 

Tard and sec the loveliness and slovenliness with a single glance. From the 
head of the Itoulevard which turns into Ogden Boulevard at Oakley Avenue 
one can look back and through the great expanse of the boulevard into old 
Twelfth Street— a narrow business and retail street. Looking west the street 
runs on wide as the boulevard portion of it. seemingly, to the horizon. Rising 
from it on cither side are buildings every where— and substantial ones at that. 
All that part of the street will come in for improvements some day. Where 
Twelfth Street Boulevard, Ogden Avenue and Oakley Avenue come togetlier 
there is an excellent view. One can look miles either way on Oakley Avenue, 
gaze down between the stretch of busy stores on Ogden Avenue that ten years 
ago was an unpaved road with uneven sidewalks, and see at the same time 
two boulevards — Ogden Avenue and Twelfth Street. 

Ogden Boulevard runs to the southwest from Twelfth Street Boulevard. 
It is planned on exactlv the same lines as the latter, of which it really is a contin- 
uation. About the tifst thing to attract on Ogden Avenue Boulevard, outside 
of its own stateliness and evidences of improvement, is the great viaduct that 
carries the boulevard over a number of railroads and over scores of puffing 
locomotives and jingling freight trains that seem to be moving at that point 
at all hours. The Ogden Avenue viaduct is a great piece of engineering. _ It 
is a light and airy structure to the eye, But it is as strong as steel and iron 
can be wrought together by human skill. At the same time it carries a most 
pleasing appearance and one of safety and endurance. The asphaltum of the 
boulevard will be laid in the middle bed of the viaduct, while the traffic roads, 
street-car tracks, and sidewalks will be carried along just as they are on the 
level streets, save that there will be winding approaches. The approaches to 
the viaduct are of easy grade, and when they are completed they will be quite 
artistic. One taking a drive along the boulevard can stop on the viaduct long 
enough to see Chicago, or a portion of it. As to its industrial features, it is a 
busy city, as one can see from the tangle of tracks that mean an exit from the 
city of only a few of its scores of railway lines. The tracks are skirted as far 
as we can see by great factories of every character. After crossing the via- 
duct, the boulevard nuis up, broad as ever, to the gates of Douglas Park, 
tilled with flowers, and lakes and shade, and winding drives of length sufficient 
to keep one here traveling over them for an hour, before leaving the park at 
its western side, and emerging on Douglas Boulevard, which runs west, to 
connect with the broad road that stretches away for miles and ends in Garfield 
Park. 

Douglas Boulevard from Douglas Park to Gartield Park is one and one- 
half miles long. As it stands now, it is a right good gravel road, smooth and 
straight and capable of drawing better speed out of the family horse than the 
asphaltum roads. The trees are already planted and grown into splendid pro- 
portions, a feature that it takes a long time to perfect. There is not much 
that is novel on either Douglas or Central Park Boulevards. The couutryis a 
flat one. But one can see the city crawling up on and filling up the prairie. 
There are streets platted, and gas lamps, and real estate agents' for-sale signs 
offering homes. 

Crossing West Twelfth Street, one comes upon a lot of red rakish build- 
ings, whence issue cries of agony. Those buildings constitute the city's dog 
pound, and the cries are from the victims of the dog catchers' brass loops. It's 
the place of incarceration and death of the city's vagrant dogs. If one has 
right good eyes he can look far across the couiitry and see the city's home for 
its petty criminals, the bridewell. Driving north to where Albany Avenue 
stretches oflf southwest, Douglas Boulevard passes between the Garfield Park 
race track, and the new i)a.t of Garfield Park proper, which is now in the 
hands of the landscape gardeners and their forces. Across to the east is the 
asphalt ribbon of Jackson Boulevard and its lamps and trees. One leaves the 
rattle of cable cars, and, swinging around a winding road, jostles over the 
cable road tracks, and finds himself riding along under the heavy .shade of the 
great trees of pretty Garfield Park. If one is going to give iime and attention 
to all the attractions that park contains, with pretty flower beds, its lake, its 
conservatory, etc., he had better make up his mind to take a day to the task. 
To traverse its pretty drives and lakes takes a matter of half an hour, and at 



— 98 — 

the end of that time the main gate of tlie park is reached and before one stretch- 
ing east is majestic Washington Boulevard, straight as an arrow and ending 
as it appears in a maze of foliage and church spires. The gates of Garfield 
Park are attractive and full of welcome. Two roadways lead into it, each 
diverging from AVashington Boulevard and winding their w ays around little 
flower beds. 

Two grand residences mark the west end of the boulevard. They are the 
homes of G. W. Spofford and J. C. Shipley. All the homes on the handsome 
boulevard are beautiful, but they lose in the features of latter day architecture 
as you drive eastward toward Union Park. The home of John Eizner, not far 
from Garfield Park, is one of the latest in design and originality. 

Washington Boulevard has cottages too, but they are all in strict accord, 
in taste if not in dimensions. Everything along the splendid street is built 
with a view to having its appearance attractive. Even the doctors have taken 
away the business air of their house fronts, and the face of every building be- 
tween Union and Garfield Parks tells of home. 

Spacious grounds about the residences are not wanting, but the houses 
are built closer together than on Ashland Boulevard, which it meets at Union 
Park, one of the smallest, but one of the most attractive breathing spots in 
the city. The view from the junction of the two beautiful boulevards is 
grand, with splendid buildings devoted to home, business and religion in sev- 
eral directions, and with the pretty park, its flowers, and its stone bridge and 
its stone- walled pool in another direction. The administration buildings of 
the West Park Board occupy one corner of the little park, while near its cen- 
ter is reserved a spot where soon artificially wrought bronze will show the 
gallant Phil Sheridan on his famous ride to " Winchester, twenty miles away," 
a gift of our enterprising fellow-citizen, Charles T. Yerkes. 

But our ride is nearly over. You are back at Halsted Street, busy, noisy 
Halsted Street, four blocks away from the entrance to Jackson Boulevard, 
where you started on your summer evening's ride but a short time before. 
You have travelled something like eight miles over perfect roads, and about 
half that distance over roads nearly perfect. On every hand you have had 
cause to enjoy yourself and to l)e impressed with amazement at the marks of 
improvement, at the magnificence of the boulevards, at the elegance of Chi- 
cago homes, of the beauties that are within the city's boxmdaries, and at the 
general spirit, enterprise, greatness and grandeur of Chicago, You are re- 
freshed by your outing, full of new information, and altogether glad that 
you are in Chicago. 

The following tables show the length, width and breadth of the West Side 
Boulevards. 

HUMBOLDT BOULEVARD. 

LIN. FEET. 

Width, 250 feet, from Western Ave. to Logan Square 4,875 4-10 

400 " Logan Square 669 

2:)0 " from Logan Square to Palmer Place 2,264 7-10 

" 400 " Palmer Place 1,699 4-10 

" "! 2-)0 " ^'"°'" Palmer Place to North Avenue 3,730 l.i-100 

Total distance, lineal feet 13,238 65-100 

Total area, acres , 90 

CENTRAL BOULEVARD. 

LIN. FEET. 

Width, 400 feet, from Augusta Street to Gnind Ave 890 

263 " " Grand Ave. to Sacramento Square 2 206 5-10 

" 400 " " Sacramento S(iuare 400 

250 " " Sacramento S(i. to Central Park Sq 3,662 6 10 

400 " " Centnii Park Square 400 

250 " " Central Park S<i. to Garfiehl Park 420 

Total distance, lineal feet 7,979 1 -10 

Total area, acres 47 




Residence of Oeorye Bailiff, Kx AVest Park Coniinissioiier. iuarWi< ker I'ark. 



— 101 — 

DOUGLAS BOULEVARD. 

IVidth. 250 f(H't from Colorado Ave, to Square soutli of 12th St. 4,077 

400 ■• (of square) 400 

250 " from Square to Douglas Park 3,790 

Total distance, lineal feet 8,267 

Total area, acres 50 

SOUTHWESTERN BOULEVARD. 

LIN. FEET. 

Width, 250 lineal feet from Douglas Park to east turn 2,950 

" east turn 870 

from east turn along California Ave., to 

Thirty-lirst Street 3,921 

Along Thirty-first Street to Western Avenue 2,267 

AVestern Avenue south to Canal 740 

Total distance, lineal feet 1 1,148 

Total are , acres 75 

CITY BOULEVARDS. 

Washington, 66 feet wide 1 .25 miles. 

80 " 0.875 " 

100 " 1. ' 3.125 miles. 

Ashland 100 " " 1. 

Twelfth Street 70 " " 0.89 " 

Ogden Ave. 70 " " 1.48 " 

.Jack.son 66 " 2.52 " 

," 73 " 0.25 " 

'* 80 " 0.75 " 3.50 

Total length 9.995 miles. 

MINERAL WELLS. 

Each of the three west side parks possesses a most attractive feature in 
the shape of an artesian well, containing medical properties of a valuable 
character. 

The analysis of the water of these wells, described in a report by chemist 
J. E. Siebel, is as follows: One wine gallon of water of the Artesian well in 
Garfield Park contains: 

Chloride of Masi:nesium 8.353 grains. 

Chloride of Sodium 87.491 " 

Bromide Magnesium .... 0.301 " 

Sulphate of Lime 21.114 " 

Carbonate of Lime 14.802 " 

Carbonate of Iron - 0.712 " 

Sulphate of Soda 13.645 

Silicate of Soda 0.508 '• 

Alumina traces. " 

Organic Substances and Sulphuretted Hydrogen none. " 

Total 14G.925 grains. 

Free Carbonic Acid 13.44 cubic'inches 

Temperature at the well 71.4 = Fahrenheit. 

This water not only contains the largest amount of solid substances of any 
of the mineral waters in this neighborhood, but it also contains them so 
arranged and in such quantities that it cannot fail to prove of great benefit 
in a variety of cases. While its principal character is that of a Saline Water, it 
still contains a sufficient amount of Iron to allow of its being classified as a 



— 102 — 

Chalybeate Water in consequence of which its use is indicated in cases in 
•which aoc'cmia is a prominent feature. The saline and calcic properties of the 
water warrant its use in special cases of indigestion, diseases of the urinary 
organs, rheumatism, and kindred afflictions. The complex character of the 
water will be found specially useful in complicated cases, the disposition of 
which must of course be left to the practicing physician, and in this connec- 
tion the presence of Bromide of Magnesium will also be considered an im- 
portant factor. Technically speaking this water is also a Thermal Water, as 
its temperature is above the mean annual temperature of Chicago, a feature 
which may also be of some significance at a future day when the subject of 
public bath houses will receive more attention. 

One wine gallon of water of the well in Douglas Park contains: 

Chloride of Magnesium 8.2;^6 grains. 

Chloride of Sodium 2. 320 " " 

Sulphate of Soda 28.321 grains 

Sulphate of Lime 6.422 " 

Carbonate of Lime 11.149 " 

Carbonate of Iron 0.103 " 

Silicate of Soda 0.731 " 

Alumina traces. 

Sulphuretted Hydrogen faint traces. 

Organic Substances none. 



Total 57.282 grains. 

Free Carbonic Acid 10.22 cubic inches. 

Temperature at the well 57.1 ° Fahrenheit. 

This water, although in point of general medicinal usefulness it is not 
equal to that of Garfield Park, will nevertheless be found beneficial in special 
cases. Tlie calcic character of the water is modified by the predominance of 
Soda Sulphate, in which this water differs from that of most other Artesian 
wells. These proportions, together with the small amount of Iron which the 
water contains, will recommend the same to the attention of thoughtful 
physicians. 

One wine gallon of water of the well in Humboldt Park contains: 

Chloride of Magnesium 7.702 grains. 

Sulphate of Soda 23.211 

Sul phate of Magnesia 4.132 

Sulphate of Lime 10.229 

Carbonate of Lime • 12.131 

Carbonate of Iron 0.065 

Silicate of Soda 0.763 

Alumina traces. 

Sulphuretted Hydrogen faint traces. 

Organic Sub.-tances none. 



Total 58.233 grains. 

Free Carbonic Acid 11.13 cubic inches. 

Temperature at the well 63.5 © Fahrenheit. 

The composition of the water at this well is similar to that of the Doug- 
las Park well, but the amount of purgative salts Is less, and their action is 
counteracted by the presence of larger quantities of Sulphate of Lime. It 
also contains less Iron than Douglas Park water. 



"K'F" 



I 




— 105 — 

LIST OF WEST PARK COMMISSIONERS. 

The following Commissioners have been appointed by the Governor from 
the origin of the West Chicago Park Board up to the present time : 



NAiMES OF COMJHISSIOXKIIS. 



Philetus W. Gates* 

Henry Greenebaum 

Charles C. P. Holden 

Clark Lipe* 

Isaac R. flitt 

Eben F. Runyan 

George W. Stanford 

David Cole * 

David Cole* 

Charles C. P. Holden 

Henry Greenebaum 

Emil Dreier 

George W. Stanford 

Eben F. Runyan 

Alden C. Millard 

Louis Schultz 

Clark Lipe * 

J. F. Adolf Muus* 

Willard Woodard * 

S. H. McCrea* 

Peter Schiittler 

Emil Wilken 

Sextus N. Wilcox * 

E. E. Wood 

John Brenock 

John W. Bennett 

John Brenock . . 

George Rahlfs 

S. H. McCrea* 

George Rahlfs 

Consider B. Carter 

J. Frank Lawrence 

Harvey L. Thompson 

Patrick McGrath 

Patrick McGrath 

David W. Clark 

Christian C. Kohlsaat 

H. S. Burkhardt 

Christoph Tegtmeyer, Sr. * 

George Mason 

Willard Woodard * 

Fred. M. Blount 

Christian C. Kohlsaat 

Harvey L. Thompson 

C. K. G. Billings 

C. K. G. Billings 

John Kralovec 

H. Weinhardt 

J. L. Fulton 

J. L. Fulton 

* Dt'ceasetl. 



Date of Commissions 



April 


20, 


1860 


1 


year 


(( 


20, 


1869 


3 


years 


(( 


20, 


1869 


2 


(( 


(( 


20, 


1869 


7 


(( 


(1 


20, 


1869 


6 


(( 


" 


20, 


1869 


5 


" 


(( 


20, 


1869 


4 


" 


July 


15, 


1869 


8 


months 


March 


1, 


1870 


7 


years 


February 


28, 


1871 


7 


u 


March 


21, 


1872 


7 


a 


u 


19, 


1873 


2 


a 


(( 


19, 


1873 


7 


n 


(( 


5, 


1874 


7 


" 


April 


24, 


1875 


7 


it 


u 


24, 


1875 


2 


ii 


March 


1, 


1876 


7 


" 


September 30, 


1876 


4^" 


October 


», 


1877 


7 


(( 


11 


8, 


1877 


2 


(( 


u 


11, 


1877 


4 


months 


u 


11, 


1877 


5 


years 


(( 


11, 


1877 


6 


" 


t( 


11, 


1877 


4 


'■ 


(( 


20, 


1877 


4 


months 


November 24, 


1877 


2^4 years 


March 


2, 


1878 


7 


" 


" 


6, 


1879 


1 


year 


April 


24, 


1879 


7 


years 


March 


1, 


1880 


7 


" 


April 


19, 


1881 


7 


" 


July 


«, 


1881 


2 


" 


March 


1, 


1882 


rr 

1 


" 


February 


15, 


1883 


1 


month 


May 


8, 


1883 


7 


years 


August 


15, 


1883 


3 


" 


November 26, 


1883 


4K " 


March 


7, 


18-4 


7 




(( 


12, 


1885 


7 




(t 


6, 


1886 


7 




April 


19, 


1886 


6 




it 


22, 


1887 


7 




March 


26, 


1888 


7 




April 


20, 


1889 


7 




(1 


20, 


1889 


10 months 


March 


19, 


1890 


7 


years 


May 


10, 


1890 


5 


(( 


March 


18, 


1891 


7 


(( 


May 


22, 


1891 


9 


months 


March 


24, 


1892 


7 


years 



Terms. 



— 1U6 



Voices from the Field of the Dead. 

Translated from the German of Kam. Gehok, by E. P. L Gaoss. 



1. Pet. 1, 24, 
For all flesh is as grass 
And all the glory of man as the flower of grass. 

As in a dream while lost in meditation 
I came upon this garden's desolation • 
Who owns this field, this verdant soil'l tread ^ 
— "The dead," 

i^u^,!f^u*'\^*^""' ™y ^'^«*' t>efore this wicket ? 
iiehold the blooming flowers in plat and thicket ! 
Whence comes this fragrance rising in sweet waves ? 
— " From graves." 

See here, oh mortal, where thy paths are endinsr 
1 hough snake-like through the world their course they're wendine 
It rustles at thy feet midst waste and rust • ^ wenuing,. 

— " In dust I " 

Where are they all, men's ever changing chances, 
1 he hckle fortunes which this earth advances ' 
Ihese crosses preach the fact to every eve : 
— " Gone by ! " 

Where are the hearts which in their days' brief measure 
So faintly beat in grief, so high in pleasure V 
Which once so ardently by love and hate were swayed ? 
— Decayed I " 

Where are the thoughtless who with health were brimmine 
And through this world like butterflies were skimmiS ^ 
What lies here covered by these mossy stones ? 
— " But bones j »» •' 

Where are the strong ones who through life were scourinjr 
And heavenward their haughty schemes were Swerlng ? 
With croaking voice the ravens cry it flurried • 
— " They're buried ! " 

Where are the dear ones whom, when death did sever 
l.ove swore their memory should last forever ? 
1 he cypress-trees the answer have begotten • 
— " Forgotten I " & • 

And saw no eye which way all those are throngin<r ? 
And spans the grave not the most fervent longing ? 
The gloomv firs, lo, shake their crowns forever • 
—"No, never!" 

The evening winds in anguish I hear screaming 
My spirit lulls in melancholy dreaming, 
The sky grows dim, its glow sends the last ray : 
— " Away I " ^ 



J 



■ -^Jl^ 



gardens ef the Dead 



'^W 



^^gggg 


^^^^^^ly.^^^^ 


@ 


aw 


i 


^m 


^C 


;....:-^,;:.,JJi,.,-..*,:.. 


1 


fiS 






IL— jji 







CHICAGO'S CEMETERIES. 



INTRODUCTORY. 



From ancient times to the present day the burial places of the dead have 
received much tender care on the part of the living among all civilized 
people. The decoration of the graves that contain the bodies of dear relatives 
or famous persons, speaks of the attachment, love and veneration still felt for 
those slumbering there and these outward signs of love were, in olden times, 
especially prominent and characteristic marks of human feelings and 
indicated the degree of civilization of the various nations and communities. 
It is a great pleasure, though it be mingled with sadness, to give ourselves 
up for a short time to quiet reveries at the grave of a dear friend or relative 
and to bestow upon its mound that loving regard which is prompted by the 
truest and most unselfish love the human heart is capable of. 

Much attention is given in Europe to the tasteful arrangement and 
adornment of cemeteries, but America has made such rapid and marked 
progress in this direction within the second half of the present century that 
at present our own country stands unexcelled in point of beauty of burial 
places, that surround the various cities of the Union. The art of landscape- 
gardening has been rapidly advanced by the application and opportunity 
offered by our great park systems and thereby the cemeteries have chiefly 
profited. This is especially seen in the improvements going on in the 
older "cities of the dead," where the clumsy fences and similar unseemly 
enclosures around single graves or lots are rapidly giving -w&y to the "lawn" 
or "park system," which gives these places a more cheerful appearance. 
There are of course people who consider a grave-yard full of gloom produced 
by deep shades of dense trees and bushes and hedges monotonously inter- 
sected by long and rigidly straight paths and roads, though it be otherwise 
entirely void of landscape beauty, the proper place for the burial of the dead. 
These people are of the opinion that a cemetery ought in all of its appoint- 
ments and surroundings correspond to the inner sorrow of the mourner and 
impress him with its gloom never to be forgotten. But, why should this be ? 
Is it not a beautiful and prominent trait of the human character to comfort 
fellow-men when sorrows overtake them, and lift them up from the dark 
earth pointing out to them the bright heavens above ? If that is charity, it is 
duty. Is it not the duty then of the managements of cemeteries also to do 
what is in their power, to make the visits of people who mourn the loss of a 
parent, child or relative to the graves of the latter less sad, to turn the sorrow- 
ful pilgrimage into a source of comfort? We know — alas, a great many of 
us from personal experience !— that the grief and sadness filling the hearts of 
men when their loved ones are taken away from them by grim death, lose a 
great deal of their bitterness and sting, if at the time when we visit their 



— 112 — 

cherished graves, our way takes us through 'a place with pleasant green 
lawns, with sweet flowers clustering here and there, where the beautiful 
sun of the heavens is permitted to spread his golden beams over the graves 
and their flowers, where the grave- yard is not a dark and gloomy and com- 
fortless spot but a place of consolation and peace. 

Flowers and blooming shrubs are nowhere more in place than in ceme- 
teries and they are much more appropriate than are costly and pompous 
memorials of cold stone which are much oftener boasting monuments for the 
living than the dead. It is true that there are some works of art to be found 
in our cemeteries, tasteful in style and masterly in execution, but by far the 
greater number of the monuments are simply towering obelisks with or 
without urns crowning them. Whj^ these obelisks, which are evidently of 
Egyptian origin, are so popular in this country is difficult to understand;- one 
might get the impression that the obelisk with the urn is the emblem of 
the American religion. 

In olden times, when the Greeks and Romans and some other nations 
cremated their dead, the urn was in place, but what meaning it may have in 
our days, when the remains of man are mostly interred, cannot be com- 
prehended ; they certainly do not contain the ashes of deceased persons nor 
any other relic of them, but are simply blocks of stone in a form that makes 
them sad reminders of the losses we have sustained. The obelisk itself only 
impresses by its height and the value of the granite. 

Tablets and crosses made of wood are more numerously found within 
the older cemeteries, especially in many of the "God's Acres" of the Germans. 
These seem to have been preferred, because the want of space in some burial 
places makes it necessary to re-sell grave lots after a given number of years. 
The fact is a sad one that we should not be allowed to remain undisturbed in 
our last resting place, and some times the inevitable is brought to our notice 
with painful emphasis. It has only lately transpired, that the son of an old 
German veteran, who was buried some years ago in a Lutheran cemetery near 
this city, was looking in vain for his father's grave to erect a monument upon 
it. At last the management of the cemetery had to admit that it had sold the 
lot in question to other people. 

Happily such cases are not met with in any of our large and beautiful 
"Gardens of the Dead " ; what the future, however, will bring forth and what 
disposition will be made of the cemeteries when the living shall demand the 
space occupied by them at present, is a matter of conjecture and a question 
which we will not attempt to answer. 





Gracelaml.— MoiiuiiK-iit of Fredprick and Catliiii in.> Mucker. 



11.5 



EARLY HISTORY OF CHICAGO CEMETERIES. 



Prior to 1835 this city liad no stated place for tijc iiiternicnt of the dead. 
Up to tiiat time the friends and relatives of the deceased hurled them in some 
convenient spot near their homes. Then, as time passed, the people living- 
near the forks of the river, had a common piece of ground, where they buried 
their dead. The bodies from old Fort Dearborn mostly found a resting place 
north of the main river and east of the old dwelling in which John Kinzie 
lived. Here too, the latter was buried in 1828, but in 1885 his bones were dis- 
interred and removed to the North Side cemetery, which was situated where 
to day the north side pumping station is standing, but even there they found 
no rest, for in 1842 they were again taken up and transferred to the Lincoln 
Park Cemetery, from where they were removed to their last resting place in 
Graceland. 

In 1832 there was a small burying grovmd near the northwest corner of 
Wabash Avenue and Lake Street and there the soldiers, who died of cholera 
in that year, were interred. Quite a number of deceased persons were buried 
along the banks of both branches of the river and it freciuently happened in 
later days, that the workmen employed in excavating came across forgotten 
graves, without being able to ascertain, whose remains the mouldering coffins 
contained. 

In the summer of 1835, the official surveyor of the town was commissioned 
to select and survey two pieces of ground that could be used for cemetery 
purposes, one of the tracts, situated in the south division of the city, to con- 
tain sixteen acres, the other, which was to be established on the North Side, 
to have an area of ten acres. These were the first regular cemeteries of Chi- 
cago, and they were located as follows: on the south side near what is to-day 
Twenty-third Street and the lake shore; on the north side near Chicago Ave- 
nue and immediately west of the lake shore. As soon as these grounds were 
turned over to public use, interments were prohibited elsewhere within ihe 
limits of the town. The South Side tract served as a burying ground until 
the year 1842, and five years later the bodies slumbering there were taken 
up by order of the city authorities, and re-interred in the Lincoln Park Cem- 
etery, which in the mean time had been laid out and put to use. This tract, 
of which more details are given in the chapter relating to Lincoln Park, con- 
tained three thou.sand one hundred and thirty-six burial lots and w^as com- 
monly known as the ''Milliman tract." Here also the remains interred in the 
old North Side cemetery near Chicago Avenue found their next resting place, 
but in 1865, when the city council ordered the vacation of this cemetery, they 
and all the rest were again dis-interred. The lot-owners were authorized to 
select other lots of equal size in any of the newly founded cemeteries in ex- 
change for the lots surrendered in the Lincoln Park tract. At that time Rose- 
hill, Graceland and Oakwoods had been established, and when the two years 
had expired, within which the city had to clear the "Milliman tract" of all the 
bodies l)uried there, the city comicil named the Aldermen Woodard, Lawson 
and Wicker as a committee to make the selection for nearly two hundred lot- 
owners, who had failed to hand in their claims and whose whereabouts could 
not l)e ascertained. 

The bodies were divided among Graceland, Rosehill. Calvary and Oak- 
woods. In the latter cemetery the city held the title to the entire "Section B, 
third Division," which had been jiurchased and upon the ownersof all lots, in this 
manner exchanged, were conferred the ])rivilege of obtaining a deed to the 
new lot. The Chicago cemetery in Ijincoln Park, where the present Alderman 
from the twenty-first ward, Joseph H. Ernst, held the position of Sexton for a 
number of years, in 1869 passed under the control of the Lincoln Park Com- 
missioners. ' 



116 — 



GRACELAND. 



Before the close of the year 1893 the number of the silent inhabitants of 
the necropolis Graceland will have reached 60,000. 

This cemetery is justly famed as one of the finest among Chicngo's cities 
of the dead, and occupies a similar rank here as does Greenwood Cemetery in 
Brooklyn, Spring Grove in Cincinnati, Forest Hill or Mount Auburn in 
Boston. Among the 500 cemeteries in this country there is but a small 
number that can compare with Graceland in point of beauty of landscape and 
the splendor of its monuments. But the greatest of the remarkable W(irks, 
which the art of the landscape-gardener has created there, belong to recent 
times, to the last 15 years. 

At the time when the older sections of this cemetery were first laid out for 
their present purpose, it was still the fashion to surround the family-lots with 
low stone walls or fence them in with iron railings or natural hedges and then 
to adorn them with monuments and grave-stones, more or less gorgeous, as the 
means of the owners would permit. About 50 acres of the grounds were dis- 
figured in this way. Of course at that time this ancient system had not as yet 
been recognized as a mistake. That did not become apparent until later on, 
when the beauties and charms of the park-system created by Strauch had 
been introduced and welcomed everywhere. But what has thus far been ap- 
plied of this system at Graceland entitles this cemetery to be termed an ideal 
burial-ground. We see it well exemplified in the larger eastern half, 
where Nature, assisted by art, produces alternately solemn and cheerful 
effects, where the undulating, park-like scenery gives the impression of repose 
and peace. We see there the chief aim of art is to but modestly indicate 
what the skillful hand of man can do in artificial and architectural ornamen- 
tation, and to leave the main work and effect to Nature itself. 

The principal charm of "new Graceland" is found in the large rolling 
lawns, which appear as grand velvety green carpets, from which the blooming 
decorations of the low mounds dotting the lawns here and there stand out 
like many-colored embroideries. Nothing can be compared with the impres- 
sive simplicity, which is seen in this serio-bright picture, neither the stately 
trees with their heavy foliage, nor the well-kept shrubbery throwing their 
shades over the resting places of the dead, nor yet the bright-blooming dowers 
and grasses covering the graves, moistened by the dews of heaven or the tears of 
the mourners. It is the earnest purpose of the present managers of the 
cemetery to check the excesses in the decoration of burial places so exten- 
sively practiced, and to convince the people, that overdoing things in this 
direction only tends to show to the world the wealth left by the deceased, but 
is no indication of good taste. 

An effort is also to be made to convince people of the impropriety of 
geometrical flower-beds upon lots; they are not in keeping m ith the sanctity of 
the place, but rather remind one of a pleasure-garden. In short, the rules laid 
down for the park-part of Graceland show the intention of the management not 
to permit any longer the close erection of monuments and grave-stones nearly 
alike in size and form, nor the erection of monuments of too great a height. 

A very commendable advance in the general embellishment of this 
cemetery, and one worthy of imitation, has of late been noticeable in the 
southeastern portion,where the single graves are found. In this jinrt in recent 
times many graves were seen — as is alas! the case also in other cemeteries — 



— 119 — 

for which in years no one had cared and which therefore were covered with high 
grass and weeds and in every respect showed the greatest negligence. The 
flowers and the obvious care that had been bestowed on some of the other 
graves by loving hands, only made this wild disorder the more noticeable. 
These graves, forgotten by the living and allowed to go to ruin by them, have 
now been cleared of the weeds and grass covering them by the management; 
the mounds have been levelled and the whole has been changed into a beau- 
tiful lawn, on which appear here and there the tops of small numbered stones, 
marking the resting-places of the dead. This together with the care given to 
the other graves by loving bands, conveys to the whole the character of a flower- 
garden, divided up into small sections, and the shade-trees and bushes lend it 
the additional characteristics of a park. The greatest similarity to the gardens 
of the living is found in the north-eastern part of the cemetery, where the 
landscape is embellished by a fine lake with a wooded island in the centre and 
surrounded on all sides by fine trees and blooming shrubs. In the immediate 
neighborhood of the lake are the most expensive family-lots, which are in 
great demand. They are grouped in "sections" and are given such names as 
"Lakeside," "Bellevue," "Fair Lawn," "Maplewood," "Ridgeland" and the 
like. They have all been given undulating surfaces, which, together with the 
beautifully bright-green lawns showing good and constant care, attract the 
wealthy buyers. Here ground is sold at a dollar to a dollar and twenty 
five cents per square foot, and as the family lots in this neighborhood 
contain from 5000 to 12,000 square feet, only persons blessed abundantly 
with this world's goods can think of buying. The "brotherhood in riches" 
is one of the chief requirements to obtain a family-lot, but the same 
condition we also find in other cemeteries. The prices of lots in the leading 
cemeteries about New York, Philadelphia and Boston range from f 1.50 to 
$5.00 per square foot. It is sometimes regretted that man is dependent even 
in death upon the prices asked for land, and that people of small means must 
content themselves with burial places in the out of the way corners of the 
cemeteries. The adage, that in death all are equal, is therefore not true. 
But there is another way of looking at the matter. If a cemetery as a 
whole is considered as a work of art, the broad stretches of lawn, the grand 
spreading of trees and the beautiful quiet vistas that can only be preserved 
where there are very large lots, add a value to even the smallest lot. 

Near the centre of the cemetery stands the new chapel not long since 
completed. It is in the gotliic style of architecture and the whole building 
is reared in rich colored Wisconsin granite, whilst red tile cover the roof. The 
north half of the chapel has a red tile-fioor and is supplied with long 
cushioned pews, whilst the south half is filled with beautiful plants and ferns. 
The ceiling and walls are decorated with frefeco-paintings in harmony with 
the bright and pleasing color of the benches, doors and wainscoting, which 
are all constructed of oak finished in natural color. In the middle of the 
floor is an oblong drop door through which the coffin is lowered after the 
funeral services. The lower rooms, partly built under a hill, cont;iin the 
heating apparatus, a coal-magazine and the vault proper, on the sides of which 
there are 298 receptacles for coffins. These receptacles are constructed 
entirely of heavy slate-plates. 

Much care has been spent upon the immediate vicinity of the chapel. 
Few persons would guess that the tine elms which give so much dignit}^ and 
grace to this building were planted as late as the year 1889. The largest of 
these is about 60 feet in height, and has a trunk of 2% f^et in diameter. It is 
believed that this tree is the largest one that was ever transplanted up to 
that time, but since then a still larger tree has been moved a long distance and 
planted inGraceland. The abundant foliage with its dark green color shows 
that these trees have taken a good hold on the soil and are quite at home in 
their new locations. 

Besides numerous elaborate monuments Qraceland has also many private 
vaults which are however, aside from a few exceptions, no ornament to the 
cemetery. The exceptions are the vaults more recently erected. Thpse are 
5 



— 120 — 

built entirely above ground under the direction of the management and are 
embellished by artistic decorations of real merit, for other ornaments are no 
lonajer suffered at Graceland. The praiseworthy exceptions are led by the 
vaults f<f Martin A, Ryerson, Henry H. Getty, William H. Mitchell and those 
of the Hack and Schoenhofen families. 

The first person buried at Graceland was Daniel Page Bryan, who had 
first been laid to rest in the old city grave-yard (now Lincoln Park), but was 
afterwards disinterred with about 2,000 others and buried at Graceland. It 
may also be mentioned, that the original charter of the Company, granted 
in 1861, was in 1865 amended to the effect that 10 per cent of all receipts from 
the sale of lots must be turned over to the trustees to form a permanent fund 
for the purpose of keeping the cemetery in order. 

Graceland Cemetery was established to meet the necessities, which a gen- 
eral demand for extramural interments had created. Thomas B. Bryan, in 
1860 purchased the eighty acres of land, which to-day comprise the principal 




,/y6i ^. — - 

land Cemetery Company," of which the "five persons named constituted the 
first board of managers. The act granted to the company the privilege of ac- 
<iuiring a tract of land to be used for cemetery purposes, not to exceed five 
hundred acres. . 

The first president of the board, Mr. Bryan, remained in office until 1865, 
when he was succeeded by James L. Reynolds, but at the expiration of the 
latter's term, Mr. Bryan again assumed the duties of the office from 1868 to 
1878, after which tirne, Thomas E. Patterson w^as elected president, and he 
held that office for a term of three years. Then Bryan Lathrop became pres- 
ident, which office he has since filled in a manner highly creditable to himself 
and his fellow-members of the board; besides being president, he also is the 
treasurer of the company, which made a wise move when it procured the 
valuable services a number of years ago of the well known landscape architect 
and cemetery superintendent Mr. O. C. Simonds, to whose skill and good taste 
may be ascribed many of the natural beauties and fine landscape effects this 
cemetery is justly renowned for. 

After the organization of the company in 1861, it acquired forty -five acres 
west of the original section, then, three years later, five acres east of it and in 
J 867 the entire territory was increaseil by one hundred and nine acres more, 
■which were situated north of it. At that time the Legislature was induced to 
pass a law, confining the area for cemetery purposes to eighty-six acres, the 
section improved. This measure precipitated long and weary complications, 
which were not adjusted until the year 1879. Then the limits of the cemetery 
were fixed as follows: Green Bay road on the west, Stella Street on the east, 
Sulzer Street on the north and Graceland Averfue on the south. 

The cemetery is situated about two miles north of Lincoln Park and is 
reached by the Chicago anil Evanston Railroad, the trains of which land their 
passengers for Graceland at the handsome depot and office building the cem- 
etery company has erected near the eastern boundary of the grounds; the horse 
cars, connecting with the Clark Street cable-line at Diversey Street, also lead 
to Graceland and beyond. The city office of this cemetery is in the Montauk 
Block, No. 115 Monroe Street. 



I 



I 




-123 — 



ROSEHILL 



One of the largest and most beautiful of the cemeteries surrounding our 
city is Bosehill. It contains within its enclosure 300 acres of ground, but may 
be enlarged at any time when it becomes necessary to 500 acres. The grounds 
were dedicated on July 28th, 1859, which was an occasion of no small 
significance. 

Rosehill is situated 63^ miles north of the Court house, and is reached 
either by the Green Bay Road or the Chicago and North Western Railroad. 

At the time when this cemetery was laid out many of the 100,000 in- 
habitants our city had then considered the distance from it much too great — 
but yet, even the people who had originally laid out the old city grave yard 
(now Lincoln Park) were found fault with for locating it too far out of the 
city. Yet it took very few years before the growing city put its monster 
arms around it and it became necessary to digoui the remains of those laid to 
rest there but a short time before and to transfer them to cemeteries further 
distant — the dead had to give way to the living. And to-day again circum- 
stances are taking the same turn once more, for Rosehill, St. Bonifacius, 
Graceland, the German Lutheran cemetery and two Jewish burial grounds 
yet further south are now all within the city limits and are surrounded on 
all sides by human dwellings, which in some locations,/, i. in the neighbor- 
hood of Graceland, are very rapidly growing in number. And how long will 
it be before the cemeteries mentioned, at least the ones nearest the heart of the 
city, will have to give way to the living, their necessities and improvements? 
Nothing will be able to withstand the growth of this still young giant — not 
even death. 

Rosehill was selected as the general city burial grounds by a committee 
appointed at the time by the City Council, chiefly on account of its high and 
consequently dry location, the same being 30 to 40 feet above the level of Lake 
Michigan, an advantage of great importance in a cemetery. 

At the dedication of the cemetery there were present as many as 8000 to 
10,000 people ; it was conducted under the auspices of the Order of Free- 
masons. The dedicatory address was delivered by Dr. J. C. Blaney, then 
the President of the Cemetery Company. Among other remarks, he made 
the following: 

Address of Dr. Blaney. 

^''Ladies and Oentlemeh: — You are assembled to-day to witness and assist 
in the dedication of this beautiful spot as a rural cemetery. Your presence 
here in such numbers is accepted by those who have undertaken the work as 
an earnest of your interest in their efforts to supply to Chicago that mournful 
but necessary adjunct — A City of the Dead. 

The custom of burying the dead within the limits of large cities is one 
which was unknown to the ancients, and resulted from the abuse of a privi- 
lege granted, at tirst only as a mark of high distinction, to martyrs and saints, 
and afterward claimed as a right by the rich and powerful, but ever depre- 
cated l)y science and by the Church as detrimental to the public health. 

By the Jews, the Greeks, and the Romans, cemeteries were by the most 
rigorous enactments placed without the walls of cities and villages, and 
this salutary provision was adopted in the discipline of the early Christian 
Church. 

It was only during the period of decadence of letters in the Middle Ages 
that this custom, injurious to the living and unwarranted by any principle of 



— 124 — 

public hygiene, by good taste or by respect for the dead, was allowed to creep 
in as one of many evidences of stolid ignorance and degraded morals. With 
the revival of letters efforts began to be made to remedy a custom, vrliose 
consequences in the more crowded communities of Europe had come to be 
seriously felt. To the clergy of France, and more especially to the Arch- 
bishop of Toulouse, is due the credit of arousing public sentiment to the 
dangers of intramural interments. In a most eloquent appeal, after rehears- 
ing the abuses by which the practice had been introduced, he portrays vividly 
the evils to which it gives rise, and exhbrts the secular powers to assist the 
efforts of the Church "to recall the ancient discipline on this point." 

It was not, however, until 1765, that the Parliament of Paris, by legal 
enactment, led the way to a remedy of these evils ; the French Government 
adopted the same course, and those noble institutions "Pere la Chaise," 
"Vaugirard," and "Montmartre," were the first exemplars of those rural 
cemeteries which both in Europe and America are at once the ornaments 
and the patterns of horticultural tastes of so many large communities. I 
have only to point you to Mt. Auburn, Greenwood, Laurel Hill, Forest 
Lawn, Mt. Hope, and Spring Grove, as illustrious examples of the disposi- 
tion in our coiujtry to a return to the correct taste and delicate sentiment 
so beautifully expressed in the epitaph of Sophocles, the founder of Grecian 
tragedy : 

"Wind gentle evergreen, to form a shade 

Around the tomb where Sophocles is laid ; 

Sweet ivy wind thy boughs and intertwine 

With blushing roses and the clustering vine; 

So shall thy lasting leaves, with beauty hung, 

Prove a fit emblem of the lays he sung." 

To-day inaugurates a movement in imitation of these examples, and in 
the citizens of Chicago we look to sustain our efforts. 

A brief statement of the history of the enterprise thus far, and of the 
policy intended to be pursued by the Board of Managers of Rosehill Ceme- 
tery, will not be out of place. In the Autumn of 1858, a petition was pre- 
sented to the Common Council of Chicago remonstrating against the further 
interment of the dead in the city cemetery. 

The gentlemen to whom the matter was referred, proceeded with their 
duty with commendable zeal and promptness. They opened a correspondence 
with the authorities of the several large cities of the United States and the 
Canadas, procuring a vast amount of statistical information and numerous 
documents. They also made a reconnoisance of the vicinity of Chicago, with 
a view of effecting a new location for the city cemetery. Among other locali- 
ties, the one upon which we now stand was examined, and in the unanimous 
opinion of the committee, was not merely the best, but the only spot in all 
respects suitable for the purpose. 

The report of the committee attracted the attention of several of the 
gentlemen corporators of the Rosehill Cemetery. The idea of the suitable- 
ness of this tract of land for cemetery purposes had previously occurred to 
them, but until the report was made to the Common Council adverse to the 
continuance of the city cemetery, the movement was thought to be pre- 
matiu-e. This report suggested that the time had arrived when the public 
sentiment of Chicago was prepared to support the efforts which might 
be made to establish a rural cemetery at a convenient distance from the city 
limits. 

The Board of Managers of Rosehill Cemetery, appointed under the act 
of incorporation, encouraged by the report of the Committee of the City 
Council, and feeling l)ound to supply the need of a place for burial without 
delay, initiated the preliminaries for the location of the cemetery at this 
place. With this view they solicited and obtained the eminent counsel of J. 
Jay Smith, E-cj., President of Laurel Hill Cemetery at Philadelphia, who, in 
view of the importance of the movement to the future liealth and prosperity 
of Chicago, sacrificing his convenience and other engagements in an incle- 



— 127 — 

ment season of the year, visited Chicago and freely gave his assistance in 
locating the grounds for the future cemetery, and both then and since has 
been of eminent service by liis advice in the management of the enterprise. 
The Board of Managers would wish thus publicly to express their obligation 
to this gentleman and their high estimation of his experience in the manage- 
ment of rural cemeteries, and the value of his counsels. 

But, fellow citizens of Chicago and vicinity, with you it remains to 
decide whether llosehill is or is not to be your cemetery. We have made 
«very effort to supply your need. That effort will be continued, so that 
you shall not blush to compare yours with the rural cemeteries of other and 
older cities. But to effect this we must be sustained by your sympathy and 
encouragement." — 

The speaker himself was laid to rest under the leafy roof of the grove, 
for which he had so great a liking, on the 13th day of December, 1874. 

Thirty-four years have rolled down into eternity since that dedication. 
Then only one person, Dr. J. W. Ludlam, slept the eternal sleep in its grounds;, 
to-day more than 25,000 are resting beneath its green sod, most of them in the 
old portion of the cemetery, which is nearest the main entrance and com- 
prises 80 acres. West of this old section, in which the erroneous practice of 
earlier days to fence in graves and lots had taken place, the eye is attracted 
by the park-like landscape into which that new part has been changed. Here 
we see plainly the difference between the old and new system. On the one 
side we behold the irregular mass of grave stones forming an unsightly 
chaos with the rusty, partly broken down iron fences, the delapidated and 
crumbling stone-walls, the wild shoots of grass and the neglected graves, and 
beyond the bright beauty and symmetry of smooth and green patches of lawn, 
by which the graves are enclosed and here and there covered. What a differ- 
ence! How fortunate, that the "old things have passed away and all things 
have become new!" a comfort indeed upon the field of the dead. And here 
it may be mentioned that the idea to give grave-yards the character of parks 
originated with the famous landscape-gardener Adolph Strauch, the creator of 
the beautiful Spring Grove Cemetery, near Cincinnati, who himself has gone 
to his rest in the prime of life. Spring Grove Cemetery has ever since its 
creation by Strauch been the model burial park and is widely copied by land- 
scape gardeners in charge of cemeteries all over the country. The fact that 
the new system is not without its opponents and enemies speaks loud in favor 
of it for the world is full of old fogies and obstructionists. 

The chief aim in the new part of Rosehill is to come as near to nature as 
possible in all arrangements and appointments and thereby to produce true 
landscape effects. This is done without leaving nature entirely to itself, for 
every one knows what then would become of the wild dame — unrestrained 
nature soon becomes unnatural. Considerable skill is displayed in the plant- 
ing of trees and shrubs, giving the cemetery at the same time a cheerful yet 
solemn appearance. Unfortunately here too the harmony is endangered by 
the bad tastes of some individual lot-owners, who have begun to disfigure the 
place by numerous grave-stones and monuments of a similarity in the pat- 
terns, that in most, cases they differ from each other only in the names of the 
inscriptions. It is astonishing that the "manufacturers" of grave-monuments 
content themselves with the everlasting sameness of their productions and 
cannot summon enough energy and ambition to create something original in 
their line at least once in a while. Original grave monuments are indeed the 
most scarce products of our times. It is as if the obelisks filling the ceme- 
teries everywhere had as so many colossal weeds propagated and promul- 
gated indestructible seed, which had shot up all around. If those inclined to 
weigh down the graves of their departed by heavy stones and perpetuate — 
for a time at least — their own names by costly monuments over their tombs, 
would only entrust the work to real artists, the appearance of our cemeteries 
would greatly profit and the simple symmetrical beauty of well shaped 
grave-mounds would no longer be drowned in the flood of unsuitable trash 
now marring the simplicity, the solemnity and the natural grandeur of these 
places. 



— 128 — 

The general character of the western portion of Rosehill cemetery, with 
its lawn system and natural beauty, shows that the Superintendent of this 
necropolis, Mr. George H. Scott, knows how to combine effectually the pleas- 
ing in the general aspect with the required solemnity of the place, so that 
comfort is conveyed and yet serious contemplation is awakened. He uses 
nature and art to excellent purpose. It was in this portion of the cemetery 
where recently a monument was erected to the murdered millionaire A. J. 
Snell, an obelisk of course, hewn out of blue Barry Granite, about 50 teet 
high and costing $12,000. 

Of the other monuments in which Rosehill abounds, we will mention only 
a few of the most costly and largest. The granite obelisk not long since erected 
to the memory of "Long" John Wentworth, towers coqsiderably above all the 
others, as Mr. Wentworth himself was during his life time, "a head taller then 
all the people." The stone shaft including the foundations rises to a height of 
G5 ft. and is made of Hallowell granite. As we learn from Mr. Chadband, 
the Assistant Superintendent of the grounds, the Wentworth obelisk has 
cost $38,000, exclusive of $10,000 expended for and on the lot, on which are 
planted fifty trees. Nearly $50,000 for a burial lot and a stone monument 
— not a cent for benevolent purposes 1 Not by far the most desirable 
memorial. 

The monument to the Volunteer Fire Brigade is a high marble column, 
crowned by a single figure, representing a fireman on the look-out. Above 
the foundation which shows representations from the life of firemen on duty 
upon \ts four sides, a fire-hose hewn out of marble is wound around the pillar. 
The corners of the pedestal represent hydrants and the circular patch of 
lawn in the midst of which the monument stands and which is surrounded 
by a low stone wall, is adorned with a number of allegorical figures and 
with flowers. 

Not far from this spot is the Soldiers' Monument, a high obelisk, on 
which stands the ^tonecarved figure of a soldier of the late civil war. The 
bas-reliefs on the sides of the pedestal represent the four military divisions: 
Cavalry, Artillery, Infantrj', and the Navy. In front is the inscription: 
"Our Heroes." On the lawn spreading from the monument is a circle, the 
Coat of Arms of the United States appears in the bright and living colors of 
tlowers. This monument is opposite the entrance, and east of it on the other 
side of the carriage road we behold the monument of '■'■Battery A." This 
consists of a cannon hewn out of stone, covered by the Starry Flag, alongside 
of it is a pyramid of cannon balls of stone. At tlie foot appear the names of 
the fallen members of the battery and those of the battles in which the latter 
have taken a part. Opposite to this, on the south-east corner of the intersect- 
ing carriage roads, we have the stone monument of '■^Battery B," representing 
a mortar upon a stone foundation. 

Directly east of these Veteran Monuments are two large square plats of 
lawn, in which 230 Union soldiers are buried. The graves beneath, in which 
these "defenders of the country" are sleeping, form long straight rows and 
are marked by low head-stones, upon which are found the names of those 
resting beneath and of their regiments and companies. Upon not a few 
however this information is missing and in its place we read only tlie words: 
U. S. Soldier. They belong to the large army of the unknown. Not far 
from the eastern border of these soldier-graves, towards the castle-like gate, 
towers the obelisk of Gen. Thomas E. G. Ransom. 

The monuments thus far mentioned are the most expensive and some of 
them may lay claim to artistic execution, but others would also call forth 
admiration, if they were found in a cemetery furnishing resting places to less 
wealthy people. 

As the lot holders in Rosehill Cemetery had become fearful that the 
cemetery may, after the lots therein shall have been sold, come to be neglected 
and left without care; therefore, to prevent the possibility of such results, the 
Rosehill Cemetery Company proposed and adopted the following amendments 
to its charter: 




Rosehill.— Hon. John Wentworth's Monument. 



— 1:31- 

Sec. 1. "Bp it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois, represented 
in the General Assembly, that there shall be set apart and kept, to be reserved 
and expended as hereinafter provided, the sum of ten per centum, or one- 
tenth part of all the proceeds hereafter to be received from the sale of lots 
by the Rosehill Cemetery Company, incorporated by that name by an Art 
approved February 11, 1859, until the sum so reserved and set apart shall 
amount to one hundred thousand dollars. 

Sec. 2. That the aforesaid sum of one hundred thousand dollars shall be 
kept and preserved as a fund, for all time to come, for the preserving:, main- 
taining and ornamenting the grounds, lots, walks, shrubbery, memorials, 
boundaries, structures, and all other things in and about said cemetery and 
belonging to said corporation, so that the purpose and intention thereof shall 
be carried out, and so that said grounds shall be and continue as cemetery 
grounds forever. 

Sec. 3. That the said corporation, by its proper officers, shall pay over 
the said ten per cent, of all sales of lots, from time to time, and as often as they 
shall be thereunto required, to three Trustees, who are hereby constituted the 
"Board of Trustees of the Rosehill Cemetery," who shall be owners of lots 
in said Rosehill Cemetery, and who shall be appointed as hereafter provided, 
who shall keep the said fund in their possession until a sufficient amount has 
accumulated to purchase such one of the securities hereinafter provided, as 
shall be deemed best by the said Trustees, and as often as there shall be 
sufficient accumulation for the purpose, as above provided. The said Trustees 
shall invest the said fund in the bonds or securities of the City of Chicago, 
the bonds or securities of the County of Cook, the bonds or securities of the 
State of Illinois, or the bonds or securities of the United States, as they shall 
deem best; or if no such bonds can be had, then in other State securities of 
the highest value, looking to their safety and the amount of interest to be 
received therefrom. The said bonds or securities so purchased, shall be at 
once deposited in the custody of the Mayor and Comptroller of the City of 
Chicago, as a special deposit — the said bonds having been first plainly en- 
dorsed as belonging to the safety fund of the Rosehill Cemetery. The said 
fund, when so invested, shall be kept and held for the uses and purposes 
specified in the second section of this Act and no other." 

Before we leave Rosehill h is only proper to state that the manage- 
ment of this cemetery pays much attention to the floral embellishment of the 
grounds, keeping a palmhouse and several hothouses. This gate, too, is 
remarkable for its characteristic beauty. In this building are found tool- 
houses in one wing and in the other the office and a spacious and well 
equipped chapel. 

The board of managers consists of Hon. Henry W. Blodgett, H. F. Lewis, 
Hon. Van H. Higgins, Hon. J. B. Brad well, and Wm, H.Turner. The officers 
of the company are: Wm. H. Turner, Vice-President and Auditor, Hon. 
Van H. Higgins, Treasurer, and Eugene C. Long, Secretary. George Scott is 
the civil engineer and landscape architect, Walter Chadband the lot salesman, 
and Thos. Wallis manager of the green-house department. 




— 132 



CALVARY CEMETERY. 



The improved taste of late years in the choice of sites for cemeteries and 
the methods adopted for tlieir embellishment, together with the wide-felt pub- 
lic interest in them, and the laws which guard them from desecration, are cer- 
tainly very aptly illustrated in Calvary. Here the fact is fully established, 
that a well-appointed cemetery exerts a reflex influence upon the public taste. 
Here a large part of the ground is laid out according to the principles of mod- 
ern landscape art, trees and shrubs are plentiful and they especially have some 
natural fitness or have become associated with the spot by the usages of the 
past. Add to all of this the improvements made from year to year, slopes of 
green velvety lawn, beautiful shade trees and other plants and costly mon- 
uments of various designs. 

In this cemetery people can learn by personal inspection how beautiful 
nature is, both in her own simplicity, and when her charms are heightened by 
the touch of art. And dout say, that such visits answer no purpose save to 
gratify an idle curiosity! They suggest new ideas; they awaken purer tastes; 
they show how the simplest piece of ground may be embellished by a little 
skill and labor; how even the stern repulsiveness of the grave can be chastened ; 
and they send him back to his usual sphere of life determined to adorn his 
own home, and to beautify the spot where he expects ere long to lay his ashes 
too. 

The fact is significant then and it is honorable to the character of our peo- 
ple, that we are not w'hoUy engrossed in the worship of mammon, neglectful 
of the amenities and tender charities of life. 

There are few who would not, if they could choose, choose such a peace 
f ul place, as Calvary Cemetery, where the great companionship of dead gives 
a sense of fellowshfp, sad but not painful. There is no jarring noise of life; 
no hustle recalling the pain and travail of existence; not even the murmur (^f 
the hike close by. or the low breathing of the distant city; its roar being soft- 
ened here to a whisper. 

In Calvary Cemetery we feel that we are face to face in a solemn spot 
with the old enemy — we are fronting the old, dreadful and incontrovertible 
fact. The same in all other countries and with every race; we are here in the 
very presence-chamber of King Dead. 

" Of course, here too, as is the case in nearly all of our cemeteries, private 
property in the shape of costly monuments is made more conspicuous than 
the sentiment of neighborly fellowship or human brothei-hood. It is of course 
proper for every man to express his own taste and judgment, and indeed, 
speak his own individuality, in the structure and surroundings of his own 
toml) and that of his family. Father Abraham took the lead in thus doing 
and his chililren have followed him with considerable variety of adaptation, 
as well as marked reverence for his preference for the rock sepulchre over the 
Greek and Koman urn burial. 

It is imi)ortant for every family to put its own history upon its memorial 
stone, with as much impre&"sion of personal feeling as sober second thought 
favors and as distinct and just a record as will keep the family name alive for 
coming generations. But here in this cemetery the aim is also noticeable, to 
express love for the deceased in such a way that it speaks to every true heart 
— lifts private sorrow fnto universal fellowship. Some of the simplest expres- 
sions on some of the marble slabs or upright memorials do this, with their 
solemn prefix: 'Tn Peace" and the name of the dead, and perhaps with a rude 
figure of the Good Shepard with a lamb in his arm. 



— 135 — 

Quite a signiticanco is given to this garden of the dead through its long 
register of heroes, who have given tlieir lives for their country. These sol- 
diers' monuments, among them the one of the gallant and brave; Col. Mulligan, 
are neither too warlike nor tierce in their inscriptions and symbols. They ex- 
press the fact, that all true heroism approaches the great sacritice, and .should nur- 
ture the brave charity- that calls all citizens to live under the same liberty and 
law, and invites all souls into the same divine brotherhood. 

The successful attempt has been made in Calvary, to combine as much 
serious unity of purpose as possible with the variety of the grounds, woods 
and water, as w^ell as to guard against the too frequent mechanical monotony 
of enclosures and monuments by favoring all judicious variety of vegetation, 
landscape and stonework. 

It is well to encourage the people in calling attention to the great beauties 
of their cemeteries and to impress them with their need of a still higher order 
of memorial art. We believe in nature and the human mind and in our right 
and duty to know and love all that is good and true and beautiful; this faith 
we may declare in metal and in marble, in granite, flowers, trees and shrubs 
upon our graves. 

•Calvary, as it is at present, forms a picture well worthy of a place in our 
memory and thoughts. The natural dignity of the landscape, enhanced by 
the graces of architecture and sculpture, leaves an impression not easily ef- 
faced. 

Among the chief beauties of Calvary are the great numlier of forest-trees, 
evergreens being intermingled with deciduous trees, which together show a 
harmonizing of the mixture in summer, and in winter the evergreens are light- 
ened and set off by the contrast of the shade-trees bereaved of their foliage, 
for even the leafless branches of trees and shrubs afford an available element 
of color. 

Of the avenues the one leading from the entrance gate throngh the cem- 
etery, where it diverges and branches out, is laid out in good taste and pos- 
sesses great natural charms. All the drives and walks are kept scrupulously 
clean and the shortcomings in this respect notited in former years have been 
supplanted by care and painstaking. 

But as pointed out before, the skill and taste of the sculptor and architect 
have been exerted in a remarkable manner in the construction of elaborate 
monuments and mausoleums, and while greenhouse-flowers and plants embel- 
lish numerous graves, the lawns beneath the leafy canopy of elms and ash 
and maple are, during the warm sea.son, sprinkled with a host of simple and 
modest flowers of the meadow and forest. These and the fragrant flowers ar- 
ranged by the florist or planted by lot-owners on the little hillocks are the 
silent but expressive teachers of morality. 

All in all this cemetery has undergone such a vast change in the last few 
years, that it reflects honor upon the sensil)ility and taste of the management. 
Nature has done a great deal for this judiciously located burial ground and 
art has not been backward in contributing to its embellishment. It is impos 
.slble to visit this vast sanctuary of the dead without feeling a solemn yet 
sweet and soothing emotion steal over the sen.ses, as we wander ovei- these hal- 
lowed grounds interspersed so abundantly with luxuriant flowering shrubs 
and fragrant herbs, that seem to defy the most profane hand to jiluck them. 

Among the new improvements made during the last few years the new 
greenhouses built are not only the most i)romiiK'nt, but the,y also til! a long- 
felt want. They were erected on the west line of the cemetery, north of the 
im])osing entrance gate and are spacious and well adapted to their use. The 
building consists of a propagating house, li'iO feet long and 19 feet wide, 
another house of e([ual dimensions serving also for the cultivation of flowers and 
plants and a show-house, smaller in size, but tilled with beautiful species of 
palms, rubber plants, cactuses, banana-trees, ferns, etc. At the southern ex- 
tremety of the plant-house, a commodious waiting room for ladies is i>rovided 
with which is connected the office of the tiorist, Mr. M. N. Angelsberg, an 
adept in floriculture and floral decoration. The two greenhouses contain all 
the most desirable and ])eautiful bedding-plants, such as bigonias, geraniums, 



— i:3G — 

heliotrop, pinks, pansies, fuchsias, echevcrias and countless numbers of other 
plants, sucli as are generally used for carpet bedding. 

The rose too is cultivated here, because no other flower forms such a beau- 
tiful emblem of affection and tenderness. This shrvib was earlj^ used for 
grave-yard ornament by the Greeks and Romans, who frequently made it their 
dying request that roses should be yearly planted and strewed upon their 
graves. They conceived that this custom had a power over the dead. Anac- 
reon declares that it 

"Preserves the colil inliumed clay. 
And marks the vestige of decay." 

How^ delightful to behold filial affection thus employed in decorating and 
beautifying tiie spot where the ashes of a tender parent, a beloved child, sister 
or brother repose! How pleasing to think, that even here we shall not be 
forgotten — that our memory will be cherished by those who once loved us, 
and that the spot where we rest will be sometimes bedewed by the tears of 
sorrowing love, and decorated by the hand of tenderness — that flowers will 
fringe the pathways leading to our lowly resting-place. 

Among the memorials placed on family-lots there are quite a number that 
can justly lay claim to high artistic value and refined taste. Besides the mon- 
ument erected by frieuds and admirers of the gallant soldier Col. Mulligan, 
those of Wm. M. Devine, Thomas Lynch, Chas. J. O'Neill, John D. TuUy, 
John Cudahy, Philip H. Murphy, Mrs. -John Ilogan, John ]\lcAvoy, W. B. 
Snow, David Thornton, etc, are very conspicuous for their elegance. Then 
there is the handsome and costly family vault erected by Richard M. Hooley, 
and the P. J. Sexton mausoleum also makes a very fine appearance. Of great 
artistic value is the monumental sarcophagus for J. A. Wolford and wife, a 
masterpiece indeed of the sculptors' art. 

Not less than 120,000 bodies have been laid to rest in this "Yard of Peace" 
from the day its grounds were consecrated up to the present time. It is truly 
a cosmopolitan burying ground, for with the exception of the Chinese perhaps 
all nationalities are represented here by some one of their own people having 
been permitted to enter these fields after reaching the end of life's journey. 
Even an Indian Chief — "Little Thunderer" — is sleeping beneath the green sod 
of Calvary, 

Before Mount Olivet, the Catholic cemetery situated southwest of the city, 
on the Grand Trunk railway, was established, the daily average "f interments 
at Calvary had reached 15, since then it has been reduced to 14. 

The cemetery is located south of and adjoining the village of South Evan- 
ston, ten miles north from the City Hall. It is the largest and oldest of the 
Roman Catholic cemeteries of this city and is fronting Sheridan Drive and 
Lake Michigan. It is the favorite burying-]ilace of the Irish Catholic Church- 
es and was consecrated in 1859, although prior tot*liis some of the bodies taken 
from the consecrated groimd in the old Chicago Cemetery were re-interred 
liere. The cemetery is a large one, containing 110 acres, which were purchased 
in the year 1856, by Bishop O'Regan from John Devlin and John O'Leary. 
Trains of the Ciiicago & Northwestern Railway (Milwaukee Division), and of 
the Evanston Division of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad stop in 
front of the handsome gate leading to Calvary. 

The money derive(i from the sale of lots and single graves is turned over 
to the Arclibisliop who, as liead of the Catholic Churches of this city, manages 
this fund in the interest of Calvary and Mount Olivet Cemeteries, where from 
time to time costly improvements become necessary. A large part of this 
money is kept in reserve for the purchase of additional territory for cemetery 
purposes, for it is only a question of time and a comparatively short one too, 
when Calvary will be completely tilled with l)odies and new fields will have 
to bc! opened somewhere in the vicinity of the city for tiiose, who during com- 
ing years will throw off the "mortal coil" and go on their last journey: to the 
grave. 

The city office of Calvary Cemetery is on the second floor of the Reaper 
Block, on the northwest corner of Clark and Washington streets. Mr. Tiiomas 
Brenan, favorably known to most of our citizens as a gentlemen of uiKiues- 




^i^^ 



"^ 



J 



— 139 — 

tioned honesty and intetrrity, who has served the public faithfully for a great 
many years in various hi,:,4i public olfices of honor and trust, is the General 
Superintendent of Calvary and Mt. Olivet, and as such he acts as the financial 
and trusted agent of the Archbishop. His able assistants are I). P. Kinsella, 
who lias charge of the cemetery management at Calvary, John Baynes, who 
serves in a like capacity at Mt. Olivet, and Joseph McLaughlin, Mr. Brenan's 
valuable adjunct at the main olHce. 




MO- 



ST. BONIFACE. 



The first cemetery we encounter on our return from Rosehill ( along the 
Greenbay Road or Chxrk Street) is St. Boniface, wliich, together with St. 
Mary's, situated southwest of the city, and the Orphan Asylum at Rosehill, 
is managed by a board of directors composed of members of the following 
parishes: St. Michael's, St. Joseph's, St. Peter's, St. Antonius, St. Frauciscus, 
St. Boniface, St Paul's, St. Augustine, St. Alphons, St. Aloysius, St. Martin's, 
St. Peter and Paul's, St. George's, the Holy Trinity, St. Mary's, St. Henry's 
and St. Mathias. 

The cemetery has an area of 36 acres, of which ten acres are not yet 
divided into burial lots. In the new, eastern part of the cemetery, the spirit 
of progress has plainly manifested itself, as the lots laid out there are arranged 
in accordance with the park system in vogue now in most burial-grounds. 
Thereby the difference between the older portion in the eastern half of the 
grounds and this new part becomes very pronounced and at once noticeable 
and there is nothing but praise among the owners of lots in the western portion 
concerning the arrangements, the dispensing with fences or stone-enclosures 
around flower-covered mounds. But in view of the fact, that the old part 
with its regular squares and low stone-enclosures, is kept in excellent order 
and receives the best of care on the part of the lot owners and the manage- 
ment, there is not much to be said against this part either, for the rigid 
straight lines are largely lost sight of through the tasteful floral ornaments or 
other emblems of mourning produced by nature or the handiwork of man. 

This cemetery, upon which many, very many, of our best-known and 
highly respected German citizens have been laid to rest in their graves, was 
laid out in 1863 and consecrated the .same year. On the 19tli of October it 
received its tirst silent inhabitant in the person of Marie Jung, a nine-days old 
infant. To-day there are resting in the cool earth of St. Boniface, 26, 200 bodies, 
to which are added on an average five each day. 

From the stately portal, adjoining which are the offices of the Superin- 
tendent and Secretary L. Biehl, a beautiful wide avenue flanked bj' stately 
trees leads straight through the cemetery past the vault; beyond that it term- 
inates in several winding driveways, in harmony with the park-like nature of 
that part of the grounds. 

St. Boniface cemetery differs from most other burial grounds, the public, 
as well as the church cemeteries, in so far, that the surplus of the annual 
receipts are expended for benevolent purposes, especially for maintaining the 
ori)hanage at Rosehill, while the often large profits of the other cemeteries, 
with hardly an exception, find their way into the pockets of single individuals 
or the coffers of cori)orations. 

Take for instance the year before last, in which there were buried in St. Boni- 
face about 1,400 people and the total income amounted to $14,410.90. Of this 
sum $8,511.72 were expended upon the cemetery, including $1,500 the direct- 
ory paid towards the Soldiers-Monument of the Catholic Veteran Association, 
leaving a surplus of $5,899.18. 

This cemetery is rich in costly monuments, an indication that many of those 
who ended their life's pilgrimage here, have left their families in very com- 
fortable circumstsnces. The majority of the older monuments are of marble, 
but those erected more recently are made of lasting granite, which can better 
resist the elements, than marble and softer stone. 

The Soldiers monument, unveiled and consecrated on Decoration Day a 
few years ago, is a great ornament to the cemetery. The other monuments 




St. Boniface.— Monument of Mrs. Louise Hesing. 



— 143 — 

deserving special mention arc those of Joseph Haunschikl, Marie New, Anton 
Schillo, John C. Roeder, Chr. Brick, Amelia C. Boyle, John Temple, Micliael 
Siebeu, Chas. Dominick ^liville, John Zender, Anton Detmer, F. Scholer, 
Nicolas and Leo P. Lciendecker, Mich. Diversy, Henry Wischemeyer, John 
Herting, J. Schoenewald, A. Hagemann, A. Baier, John B. Busch, A. Zulfer, 
Anton Cremer, Bernard Miiller, Catharine Hechinger, J. Arnold, Albert Wag- 
ner, the Pfeifer family, Marie Sledek, Peter Wagner, Felix Blatter, M. Coss 
mann, F. Mayer, Louise Hesing, etc. 

Of these the last named monument in the south-eastern portion of the cem- 
etery ranks first in the choice of the subject as well as in the artistic execution 
of the same. Certainly in no other are the characteristic virtues of the 
deceased expressed so well symbolically and perpetuated as in this granite 
statue of St. Elizabeth, erected to the memory of Mrs. Louise Hesing. It was 
indeed a happy thought to decorate the grave of this noble woman, who knew 
no greater joy than to do good and make happy the oppressed and needy, 
with an almost life-like representation of the saint, whom we are wont to look 
upon as the ideal of the purest charity, 

The statue measures 7 feet 6 inches in height and represents the j^ious 
landgravine of Thuringia, distributing bread to the poor with her outstretched 
right hand. In the folds of her dress, which she holds with her left, are seen 
the roses, into which the victuals she was carrying to the poor of the City of 
Eisenach, changed at the moment when her husband, the landgrave Ludwig, 
forced open the basket in which she carried her charitable gifts from the castle. 
The model for this statue was executed by Mr. F. Engelsmann , a talented young 
German artist, and the statue itself, measuring with the base 9 feet 6 inches, was 
made at the steam granite works of Burkhardt and Sou, No. 138 Kingsbury 
Street, Chicago. The monument is cut out of light-gray Westerley, ( K. I. ) 
granite, which, owing to its hardness and other desirable properties, is espec- 
ially adapted to monuments. Upon the front of the base above the simple 
inscription: Louise Hesing, is seen a bronze-medallion of the deceased, also the 
work of Mr. Engelsmann. 

The special merit of the statue lies in the mild and loving expression of the 
face, in which are plainly reflected nobility of soul and kindness of heart. It 
is scarcelj^ necessary to say, that the figure bears also in every other part the 
mark of high artistic ability. The grave of Mrs. Hesing is covered with a 
thick mass of blooming evergreen. 

The lot of Marie New is ornamented with figures representing a mother 
and child, whilst the monument of Christian Brick is in the shape of a Christ- 
chapel. Upon the foundation supporting the monument on the grave of Amelia 
C. Boyle a female figure is represented resting upon a cross, symbolizing 
mourning. The momnnent of John Zender consists of a pyramid of rocks 
upon which stands Jesus with the Cross. Very expressive is the monument 
on the grave of F. Scholer. It represents a block of stone with cross and 
anchor, which latter is fastened with a rope cut out of the rock to the ( stone ) 
trunk of a tree rising in the middle. The tall marble monument of John Her- 
ting is crowned by the life-size figure of St. Boniface. Many other monuments 
could be mentioned if the space woiild permit, but it may here be mentioned, 
that besides the statue of St. Elizabeth Mr. BurkJidrdt has made many monu- 
ments for St. Boniface and other cemeteries, which are notable for their origin- 
ality and artistic value and are not copies of models too fre(iuently copied. 

Among others furnished by him, the Wacker monument at Graceland is 
especially conspicuous. 

We may conclude this article with the translation of two lines we have 
found upon a grave-stone in the old portion of St. Boniface: 

" Thee, also, death will call away, 
Thou, too, wilt in thy grave decay." 



^Jl^^ 



144 



WUNDER'S CHURCH-YARD. 
JEWISH CEMETERIES. 



The greatest ditficuUies managers of burial places meet with, are en- 
countered by German churches, who have established their own cemeteries. In 
the German mind the resting-places of the dead are inseparately connected 
with their religious life and church associations. Their cemeteries are conse- 
crated spots, "church-yards," " fields of peace," "God's acres." They do not 
lilce to be buried outside of these, and therefore all German congregations aim 
to have their own burying ground. But they generally consist of working 
people, who hardly ever have much beyond their needs. It is therefore not an 
easy thing for them to accumulate enough wealth, wherewith to purchase a 
piece of ground sufficiently large to receive their dead during generations, and 
it is equally difficult for them to keep it in order, as that requires a constant 
outlay of money; neither can they ask for their lots any such sums as are paid 
in the larger cemeteries. The consequences are, that the graves have to be 
used over and over again and have to be largely left to themselves or to the 
care of the relatives of the interred. 

Though the congregations who bury their dead in Wunder's cemetery are 
doing their very best to overcome these difficulties, the aforementioned evils 
are nevertheless sadly noticeable. There are portions of it, however, which are 
well kept and are in every way in keeping with the solemnity of the place. A 
decided stej) towards a thorough improvement of the cemetery is a recent reso- 
lution of the management, not to permit any more interments in single graves, 
but only in family lots. That, if anything, will insure a better state of things. 

The cemetery is situated but a few feet south of Graceland and was con- 
secrated in the beginning of the fifties. How many were buried there in the 
course or the last forty years, cannot be determined, owing to the repeated use 
of the same graves. The family lots are chiefly found in the front part of 
this German necropolis and as a rule show loving care. Upon many of them 
are seen fine monuments, some of which have artistic value. A very pleasing 
feature are the inscriptions upon these monuments, tomb-stones and even the 
plain wood crosses adorning the graves of the poorer of those sleeping there, 
which are mainly of a religious character. Some also tell a sad story, as the 
in.seription on the oljelisk just oppo.site the gate does, which runs in German: 
"Wanderer, standstill! Here rests in God a true husband and father, who had to 
lose his life in his calling as fireman," and in English: " Jolin Streming, killed 
at a fire on South Water Street, June 8th, 1865, while on Duty." 

On the more beautiful of the monuments the following names are inscribed: 
Charlotte Becker, John Janke, Family Fiedler, William Hallermann, C. Spren- 
gel, A. Drechsler, Ludwig Sommer, Friedrich Iloermann, Albert T. Ilaeberle, 
Amanda Hallermann, Conrad Oberg, F. Schramm. Heinrich Junker, Dora 
Lasman, Henry Schultz. Wm. Rohn, L. Hildenbeutel, John G. Dohl, and 
others. 

Just on the other side of the fence, south of Wunder's Church Yard, is a 
Jewish cemetery, which presents a very pleasing appearance. • Everything 
there is kept in the best of order. The signs above the gate show tiiat several 
congregations bury their dead in these grounds. One sign reads: Chebra 
Geniilothe Chas.sadim Ubikor Cholim, and another: "Hebrew Benevolent 
Society," besides these also the " Bnai Sholem " congregation buries its dead 
in this place. 



— 147 — 

The cemetery contains five acres of land. The family lots as well as most 
of the single graves are not only well-kept, but show tender care. The roads 
and paths also are well cared for by the attendant, a Hwede named P. N. Nei- 
glick, and he being a gardener, the place everywhere shows his skill and good 
taste. Mr. Neiglick is of the Christian faith, but attends to his duties in the 
Jewish burial place with as much reverence as a Jew could do. He receives 
no regular salary for his services, but contents himself vvith his income from 
the sale of tiowers and plants for decorating purposes and from the care of 
graves. 

In this cemetery about 2000 i)eople are buried, of whom not a few were 
laid to rest here at the expense of Societies. There is no lack of handsome 
monuments. The inscriptions on some of them testify to the tendency on the 
part of many Jewish people to anglicise and corrupt their honest and generally 
very pretty German names, in such a degree that they hardly can be recog- 
nized in their new English dress. 

Among the monuments which deserve to be specially mentioned there are 
those of: Morris Rosenfeld, flerman Seaman, Isaac Goldstein, Isaac Waitzel, 
Moses Ruhl, M. M. Spiegel, H. L. Marks, Henry Abrahams, Marcus Jampolis. 
David Adams, Heiman Solomon, Jacob Pieser, P. Goldstein, Shrimski, Samuel 
Goldmann, etc. 

The cemetery was opened in the summer of 1854 and the body of Ida Kohn, 
who was buried there on August 6th of that year, was the first one laid to rest 
there. 

Further south on Clark Street, at the southwest corner of Belmont Ave- 
nue, formerly was situated the cemetery of the Anshe Mayrive congregation. 
The same contained about four acres, and was laid out in 1856. But the con- 
gregation recently had another cemetery surveyed, of which it now has taken 
possession. It is located in Jefferson in the neighborhood of the Cook County 
Poor House, and contains 20 acres, five times the territory of the old one. The 
remains of those buried in the old grounds together with a number of the 
monuments have all been transferred to the new cemetery, The number of 
bodies that had been interred in the old grounds was 985. Here too, formerly 
a number of monuments were standing, which cost a great deal of money and 
at the same time furnishes further proof of the corruption of names. On one 
appeared the name of Falk Austrian, whilst along side of it stood an older 
tomb-stone for which the good German name of Oesterreicher had evidently 
been still considered good enough; the inscription there read: "Malla, wife of 
Abraham Oesterreicher. " 




— 148 



OAKWOODS CEMETERY. 



This beautiful cemetery stands in the front rank, as one of the handsomest 
of Chicago's burial grounds. It is located south of 67th St. between Cottage 
Grove Ave. and the I. C. R. R. tracii. The distance from the business centre 
,is about seven miles. It is readied by the "Hjde Park" cable trains, and by 
the I. C. and Pittsburgh &, Ft. Wayne R. R's. It is also easily accessible by 
several convenient carriage drives. There are numerous dwellings in the im- 
mediate vicinity of this cemetery, nevertheless, Oakwoods is protected from 
future interference, and guaranteed absolute permanency by a special charter 
of the legislature. 

In drawing the plan for the grounds, the Association was fortunate in 
securing the services of the late Mr. Adolph Strauch. Superintendent of S]iring 
Grove Cemetery, at Cincinnati, who as a landscape gardener and Superintend- 
ent of cemeteries, probably liad no equul. Before work was commenced in 
1864, he visited and made a thorough examination of the land, and assiu-ed the 
Association that it was well adapted for the puri)ose it was designed for. 
Then, with a detailed survey, showing the surface elevation, he drafted the 
plan now presented to the public, designating the lowest land for artificial 
lakes, and the higher to be made still higher, and formed into beautiful mounds 
with the earth taken from the lakes. 

The avenues are laid out in gentle curves and on an established grade. 
Perfect drainage of the survej'ed portion is secured by judicious grading. The 
land is of a gravelly, sandy nature, the kind best suited for sepulture, and is 
covered by a good soil of considerable depth, ensuring a vigorous growth of 
grass, trees, shrubbery and flowers. 

Like other cemeteries that can lay claim to landscape beauties, Oakwoods 
is devoid of fences and enclosures that often surround burial lots; it is arranged 
on the lawn .system, by which the natural charm of the scenery is sustained. 
It is ornamented and kejit like a park, at the same time being invested with 
all the sacredness and solemnity befitting a burial place for the dead. 

Oakwoods comprises a territory of 184 acres, of which a little less than 
half is now in use. The first burial took place on May 30th, 1865. It is now 
the silent abode of the mortal remains of nearly 20,000 former inhabitants of 
this city. The cemetery company has recently erected a tine building at an 
expenditure of $10,000. It contains the office, store-room, etc. Also a magni- 
ficent entrance, consisting of a number of highly-polished granite .shafts, ar- 
ranged in the most presentable manner, forming a new departure in the archi- 
tecture of cemeterj' gateways. The design for this really handsome gateway 
and entrance was furnished by Mr. Marcus A. Farwell, the popular President 
of the Association, and it does him great credit. 

The charming residence of director II. II. Sheppard is situated near the 
main entrance. Close to this are the large green-houses, of which there are 
not less than ten; the dimensions of each being 100 ft. long and 20 ft. wide. 
They are under the supervision of the skilful head gardener, Alexander Reed. 
All varieties of ran; flowers are cultivated here, and used in the ornamentation 
of the graves, .and for other pur|)oses. The company derives a hand-some rev- 
enue from the .sale of flowers and i)lants alone. A separate office is used, and 
a force of clerks employed, to supply the demands of patrons. 

The water-works are near to this, which sujiply jibout .5 miles of water 
pipes. The water works system is entirely independent of any outside ap- 
l)liance. There are five artificial lakes of considerable size, the banks of which 
are sloping lawns to the waters edge. 

In Oakwoods there are many costly monuments and mausoleums, and a 
spacious vault connected with a cliapcl building. The vault has a capacity 
for holding -jOO bodies, and is built in the latest and most approved styh;. 



— 151 — 

Upon entering, the first conspicous monument that meets the eye is that 
of Conrad Seipp, a granite obelisk with urn attached. The following is a par- 
tial list of the more costly monuments, to be found in this cemetery. Those 
of Wm. H. Newman, Jos. E. C. Zellcr, Wm. II. Harper, Mead Mason, John 
N. Gage, Van Bokellen, Lena Robinson, S. M. T. Turner, Israel Holmes, 
Sam. 11. Noe, Alphonso Goodrich, Wm. S. Hancock, F. K. Dium, Frank 
Drake, Cyrus E. Cole, Harry AV. Phillips, Gabriel Steiger, L. G. Gall. Henry 
Hoyt, Dan'l Goodman, Henry A. Spence, Frank Van Houtin, David Burcky, 
Nellie W. Ullmann, Giesbert Pottgieser, F. Kublank, Louise Lehrkamp, 
F. Sorgenfrei, George Kress, August Keller, J. Werkmeister, E. T. Wadlow, 
C. Gieliske, C. F. "Kauffert, August Geilfuss, A. J. W. Jahncke, Emma 
"\y. Jacob, Paul Kleiner, Wm. Hickling, Paul Cornell, Chas. Stein, 
Ben Carver, Burton C. Cook, Christian Schmidt, Chas. Tessmanu, Peter Abt, 
Henry Apple, Henry G. Oehmich, John H. McAvoy, Robert Cunningham, 
Angus, James Campbell, H. H. Cooley, Williams, W. H. Schimpfermann, 
H. Guth, B. Artz, Conrad Stuckart and Catharine Friesleben. The monument 
of Oale Cramer, who lost his life July 27, 1887, in a collision near York, Ind., 
consists of a shattered locomotive of stone. The soldiers' monument was 
erected l)y one of the directors of the Chicago Soldiers' Home. The statue 
represents a private soldier with his rifle, and is finished in stone; the pedestal 
consists of marble. In the foreground there are four cannons guarding the 
graves of about 70 veterans. 

The remains of over 5,000 Confederate soldiers, who died at Camp Doug- 
las, (a war-prison, situated on Cottage Grove Avenue during the late war), 
are interred here in a thicket of elms. The local society of confederate soldiers, 
have in contemplation the erection of a suitable monument to the memorv of 
their departed comrades. Jeff. Davis himself, in his lifetime, evinced great 
interest in the erection of this memorial. Oakwoods contains also two small 
Jewish cemeteries of the congregations of Beth Hamedrash, and Ohoveh She- 
mil, respectively one acre and one half acre in dimensions. 

That this cemetery can never be diverted from its present use and purpose 
is fully guaranteed in the following section of the charter: "And no road, 
street, alley or thoroughfare shall be laid out or opened through their said 
grounds, or any part thereof, without the consent of the directors; nor shall 
any corporation now existing, or hereafter created, be authorized to take, hold 
or possess any portion of said cemetery by condemnation, without such con- 
sent." Oakwoods is one of the very few cemeteries in Cook County that is 
organized luider a special charter granted by the Legislatiu-e, which protects 
it from interference, and guarantees its absolute permanency. No cemetery or- 
ganized since the adoption of the present State Con.stitution, which took effect 
in 1870, has or can obtain a special charter. Under the present laws all new 
cemeteries are liable to be ruined by common roads, streets and railroads being 
forced through them. They have no protection like those organized under the 
old special charters. This cemetery has every security that the State of Illi- 
nois, through its Legislature, can confer. Oakwoods Cemetery is indeed a 
rural cemetery, and the Original Rural Cemetery of Chicago, ornamented and 
kept like a highly cultivated park, while at the same time it is invested with all 
the sacredness pertaining to a burial place for the dead. The Association 
makes the improvements, grades the lots, excavates the lakes, and plants orna- 
mental trees. The prices of lots vary from fifty cents to one dollar per scjuare 
foot, according to location. The price at present for a single grave for an 
adult is ten dollars; for children, six to eight dollars. 

The funeral trains by the Illinois Central Railroad leaving the city at 2 
and 3 p. m. go to the cemetery gate. The Pittsburgh & Fort Wayne Railroad 
suburban trains also stop at Cottage Grove Avenue, near the south-west corner 
of the grounds. There are good carriage roads from the City through Washing- 
ton Park and Cottage Grove Avenue; also by 63rd, South Park Avenue and 
67th Street. 

The officers of the company are: Marcus A. Farwell, President; James 
McKindley, Vice President; W. C. D. Grannis, Treasurer; George M. Bogue, 
Secretary, and J. H. Shepard, Superintendent. 
6 



152 



ST. MARIA.— MT. GREENWOOD. 



Of the four cemeteries situated beyond the souuhwestern limits of the 
City: St. Maria, Mt. Greenwood, Mt. Olivet and Mt. Hope, the first named 
lies nearest to the City and is the one where the funeral trains of the Grand 
Trunk Railroad coming from the citj^ make their first stop. 

ST. MARIA CEMETERY 

is a German Catholic burying ground, which was consecrated on May 13, 1888, 
by Archbishop Feehan in the presence of a large concourse of people. Its 
northern boundary lino is formed by Eighty-seventh street; the cemetery con- 
tains one hundred and tv/o acres of ground, which lie on the western slope of 
Washington heights at an elevation of tifty-tive feet above the level of Lake 
Michigan and of from sixteen to twenty feet above the level of the surround- 
ing prairie-land. 

The German Catholics of the South and Southwest Sides have long felt 
the need of a burying ground somewhere near the southern limits of Chicago, 
where those of their people, who died in the Catholic faith, could tind a final 
resting place, but not until the year 1887 had nearly passed was there an 
earnest effort made in this direction. Then it was that through the generosity 
of Heinrich Wischemeyer and his wife j\Iaria, the Association which has also con- 
trol and the management of St. Boniface, the German Catholic cemetery on 
the North Side, was presented with sixty acres of the land which now forms 
St. Maria Cemetery, under the condition that the i)rotits derived from the sale 
of lots and single graves be turned over to the Orphan Asylum at Rosehill, 
which together with the two cemeteries is managed by a directory, chosen 
from the different German Catholic congregations of Chicago. After the sixty 
acres donated by Mr. and Mrs. Wischemeyer had been laid out and embel- 
lished, forty-two acres more of adjoining land was purchased at a very low figure. 

Opposite the entrance gate on Eighty-seventh Street the management has 
erected a pretty depot-building in Swiss cottage-style. When the grounds 
passed into the possession of the association, the entire area showed neither 
tree nor shrub; to-day more than four thousand shade trees of healthy growth 
are jilanted along the winding drives and foot-paths and scattered in pictur- 
esque groups all over the jilace, which at no distant day will equal any of the 
older cemeteries in point of landscape and general arrangement. The niodern 
lawn-system has found favor here from the start and when the drives were 
mapped out, they were so arranged as to form a connecting system of carriage 
roads throughout the grounds. The different links of this chain of driveways 
have been given names such as: St. Anthony, St. Henry. St. Peter, St. Fran- 
cis, St. Paul, St. George, St. Augustin, St. j\Iartin, St. Ferdinand, St. Aloy- 
sius Avenue. At a central point where all tiie roads converge, a monument 
has been erected to the memory of Mr. and Mrs. Wischemeyer, It is hewn 
out of mai'ble and is the gift of the Cemetery Assocjiatlon, who desired to ex- 
press, in this manner its gratitude for the liberal donation of land by the hon- 
ored couple. Not far from this monument, the receiving vault, a massive and 
spacious structure, arrests the attention of the visitor. It has room for four 
hundred cotlins and is covered by a blue slate roof, beneath which two circular 
colored glass windows admit the light of day to the interior. From here St. 
John's Avenue leads to tlie iiighest point of the cemetery, where we also tind 
the dwelling of the .sexton, who from liis ;ibode can overlook the entire terri- 
tory under his immediate control. 



— 155 — 

At the suggestion of Rev. Peter Fischer, of. St. Anthony's Church, who 
•was the tirsl president of tlie board of management, a novelty has been intro- 
duced in this cemetery, tlie lilve of which probably will- not be met with in 
any other Catholic Cemetery. One of tlie choicest portions of the grounds, 
section A, has been set aside for the burial of families of mixed religion, so 
that the protestant wife of a catholic husband laid to rest here can be interred 
after her death by the side of her spouse and vice-versa. 

Besides the Wischcmeyer Memorial, there are several more very hand- 
some monuments in this "God's Field," of which may be mentioned tho.se of 
^lichael Reidi of Englewood. Anton Tennie, August Bauer. Johann Ferber, 
Isiibella Vaesgcn (of Blue Island), John Wessendorf (Washington Heights), 
Theresa Gott.sellig, Peter Thomas, etc. In wandering over that sacred ground 
and gazing upon the mo'numents soaring high in panegyric of the wealthy 
dead and upon the humble tombstones of those less favored when pilgrims of 
this world, now made equal though by the impartial hand of Death, we feel the 
belief grow within us, that there are sermons indeed which we may gather 
from Stones, and we also are fully convinced frouT what we see here, there 
and everywhere, that this German "Friedhof" will at some day near at hand, 
be not only one of the most interesting, but also one of the largest German Cath- 
olic cemeteries of this country. 

MOUNT GREENWOOD CEMETERY. 

This well known and beautiful cemetery is found three and a half miles 
south of St. Maria's on the Grand Trunk Railroad. It was opened to the pub- 
lic in 1879, and is situated upon the crest of Washington Heights and in the 
mitlst of a rolling country well covered with timber trees. Mt. Greenwood 
occupies the highest point of the chain of hills, which here rise to an elevation 
of seventy feet above the level of Lake Michigan. It contains eighty acres of 
land, of which no more than eighteen or twenty are used for purposes of sep- 
ulture. Here too the lawn-system is in full operation and was adopted in the 
beginning, so that Mt. Greenwood comes under the head of Park Cemeteries. 
The winding, serpentine drives are mostly macadamized and kept in excellent 
repair. The tirst body was buried here April 28, 1880, and since then more 
than three thousand people, who had ended life's pilgrimage, were interred 
under the mighty oaks that stand sentinel within the inclosures of Mt. 6reen- 
w^ood. Much importance is placed here on the propagation of plants for or- 
namenting graves and lawns and the lovely and tasteful beds of flowers that in 
summer meet the eye everywhere, give sufficient evidence of the earnest aim 
of the management, to make this Burial Park another point of interest for 
friends and strangers, for in point of decoration it will take rank with many 
ornate parks and gardens. 

The entrance is situated on 11 1th Street, east of the railroad station, and 
is tianked on the righthand side by the cemetery office, constructed nearly alto- 
gether out of the limbs and bark of trees, and over all climbing plants have 
w'oven an emerald awning. The cultivation of plants and flowers is carried 
on within three roomy green-houses wliich have a length of one hundred feet 
each. The public vault, situated in close proximity to the plant houses, has a 
capacity for holding five hundred coffins: tnere are many elegant and costly 
monuments, of which a few only may be mentioned. The one most prominent 
and conspicuous among them is the obelisk of the dead philantropist, Karl 
Uhlich; it towers into the air to a height of thirty-three feet and is crowned 
by a female figure, symbolizing Hope. The wife of Uhlich, four of their chil- 
dren, and Henry Klein, an old <uid trusted friend of the Uhlich family, are all 
buried in the shadow of tlie obelisk. Of the other monuments, those of Her- 
man Vauderbelt, Mary Adelheid Brock way, "Wm. Morgan, (Blue Island), N. B. 
Rexford, Benjamin Kayler (the original owner of the land), the "Elks." 
Edgar .Johnson Goodspeed, Walter Pride Cottle, etc, have great artistic merit. 



'^c)4^(a^r 



IGG — 



MT. OLIVET. 



This Catholic cemetery is situated directly opposite the entrance to Mt. 
Greenwood, south of One hundreth and eleventh street, from where it extends 
as far as One hundred and fifteenth street. Like Mt. Greenwood and Mt. 
Hope it is located on high and hilly ground and therefore even in the wettest 
season the ground remains dry and is therefore, all the more suitable for the 
purpose it is intended for. This cemetery with its abundance of stately oaks 
has more the resemblance of a sylvan grove than of a city of the dead. It 
contains eighty acres, of which about half are in use. The dedication of this 
beautiful "Gods' Acre" took place June 28th, 1885, and since that time •over 
4000 bodies have been laid to rest the-e. 

Mt. Olivet is under the same management as Calvary Cemetery. The 
land was purchased in September, 1884, from the late Judge Beckwith, and 
June 17th, of the following year the first burial took place there. The gen- 
eral appearance of Mt. Olivet gives evidence of the fact, that an earnest and 
successful effort is made to keep the grounds in good trim, and to permit noth- 
ing which might prove an eyesore or challenge unfavorable criticism. 

Among the monuments seen here and there the one erected by the Irish 
Nationalists is the most conspicuous; it is a granite obelisk thirteen feet high. 
Other memorials worthy of mention are those of Abraham Raimburg,\Iames 
Shay, John Flannigan, Carl Miller, Martin llogau, William Pauly, P. C. Mc- 
Donald, etc. 

This cemetery is provided with a water-windmill and other facilities for 
assisting nature in its work of beautifying this forest-like burial ground, by 
which the latter admirably succeeds in assuming the character of a cheerful 
park and in losing more and more those features that gave to it at first a 
gloomy and dismal appearance. 

The establishment of Mt. Olivet has proven a great convenience for the 
Catholics residing in the extreme southern parts of our city, who in former 
limes were compelled to travel from 15 to 20 miles each way when accomp- 
anying a deceased rehitive or friend way out north to Calvary Cemetery. 

It is the intention of the management to build a large receiving-vault at 
Mt. Olivet in the near future, and from what we have observed in Calvary, the 
twin-brother of Mt. Olivet, the latter will certainly in due time be still more 
embellished and improved and then it will be one of the most attractive park- 
cemeteries of our city. 





Koseliill.— Mominieiit of I'rof. C uiiimiiiu Cherry. 



— 159 



MOUNT HOPE. 



This beautiful Park Cemetery is situated on that ridge of wooded hills, 
southwest of the city, commonly known as Washington Heights, and directly 
west of, and adjoining Morgan Park. This location was decided upon after 
a careful survey of all the available property for such purposes, in Cook 
County, south and west of the city. It is emphatically the best selection 
that could have been made. It consists of three liundred acres in a compact 
body. The association has a capital of $000,000.00, and for five j'ears has 
had a large force of men working under the direction of the best obtainable 
engineers and landscape gardeners, in bringing this immense property to a 
state of perfection. 

No money has been spared in making this cemetery, what its founders 
intend it shall be — the model cemetery of the country. They have erected 
a line stone chapel, depot, waiting rooms and office, costing about $20,000. 
The public vault is the most complete of any in the west, and contains one 
hundred and sixty separate iron compartments. The splendid growth of 
native oaks, which cover the hills, has been interplanted by an immense 
number of all varieties of ornamental trees and shrubs. The finely paved 
roads that traverse the grounds in all directions, and wind among the hills, 
produce a most pleasing and finished effect. The lake, the flowers, the turf; 
all combine to make it an ornamental park, in the truest sense of the word. 
An abundant supply of pure water for all purposes is furnished from an 
artesian well. Steam pumping works distribute this over the cemeter}', 
through a system of iron pipes. Although it lies 100 feet above the level of 
Lake 3Iichigan and the soil is of the most suitable character for cemetery pur- 
poses — yetthatthere might be no possible doubt as to its freedom from water 
— these natural advantages have been supplemented by an elaborate system 
of surface and under drainage. The beauty of the cemetery is marvelous. 
Xo pen picture can do it justice. It must be seen to be appreciated. 

When this cemetery was laid out and beautified, Chicago had another 
]iark added to those which have already made her world-famous. But it 
differs from the pleasure grounds in which the toiling thousands take their 
rest every Sunday in the summer; for in the new garden where art and nature 
vie with each other in creating a scene of loveliness, every day will be a Sab- 
bath and the beauty will be consecrated not to the living but to the dead. 

The enterprise which has selected these grounds on Washington Heights 
— aimed to give to a great city another park cemetery, which is worthy of its 
greatness and represents in its highest developement the advanced taste 
which the present century has brought to bear upon the resting place of the 
dead. Not only is the civilization of a people expressed in the avenues 
of palatial homes and in the imposing edifices of commerce, but also in 
the condition of their places of sepulture. The tomb is to the future 
the witness of the present ; it carries to posterity the records of a genera- 
tion's ideals, whether they be high or low, debased or noble. In the monu- 
ments of the antique world we read the history of her tyranny, of her 
superstition, of her moments of enfranchisement and of her years of 
darkness ; and the enlightenment of this age — the enlightenment of wide- 
spread education, charity and freedom — will not be less truly mirrored in 
the cemeteries which we establish and adorn and which we leave for the 
edification of posteritj'. It would be strange if the progress of knowledge, 
which has done so much for the material comforts of life and the beauti- 
fying of homes, did not also rob death of some of its distressing associa- 
tions and make the last of all homes more endurable to man's contem- 



— 160 — 

plation. Science has not been idle in this respect. Seconded by the growing 
sense of human refinement, she has in the last few years removed the dis- 
agreeable features remaining from the practices of the past, and has invested 
places of interment with suggestions of beauty that are pleasing to the 
senses and elevating to the soul. The old style of graveyard, with its rectan- 
gular form, its huddled hillocks which seem to cry out against the parsimony 
of earth in not affording ample resting place to her children, and in its dis- 
cordant and often distasteful and memorial symbols, is happily now a thing of 
the past, and one that can never be recalled. Hereafter the parks in which 
the living take their pleasure shall not be more enchanting than those where 
peace guards the pillow of rest. It must be said that Chicago is not first 
among the cities in the idea of an ornamental cemetery, though she is easily 
first in her parks and boulevards and her avenues of architectural splendor. 

The promoters of park cemeteries have to fight some lingering prejudices 
in the rninds of people who look with apprehension upon any departure from 
custom ; but these prejudices disappear when it is made plain that the new 
departure is in the interest both of economy and of estheticism. How much 
better is it, for instance, that the money spent upon stone copings and iron 
railings (barriers that imply the idea that some sort of outrage might be pos- 
sible) were devoted instead to raising a monument of enduring qualities and 
of truly artistic design. Experience has shown that railings and copings in- 
variabl)^ fall into disorder through exposure to the severe temperature, and 
the result is that every old fashioned cemetery has upon its hands constantly 
accumulating heaps of worthless stone and metal . Under the park plan, on 
the contrary, large and roomy lots may be utilized, where, instead of incum- 
brances in the shape of trivialities, one imposing shaft will serve as a family 
monument, and where the sloping, grassy borders will give an eifect im- 
measurably more pleasing than that of forbidding hedges or of iron fences. 

"The grave," says Washington Irving, "should be surrounded with 
everything that may insure tenderness and veneration. Can this be done by 
having burial lots enclosed with stone posts, iron bars and chains, the sight of 
which is repulsive in the extreme, as it conveys the idea of rudeness and con- 
finement?" 

To everyone who is engaged in the busy struggle of existence it is now 
consoling to know that his last resting place shall be made amidst scenes that 
will charm rather than distress the beholder, and that will induce the visitor 
to linger and feel half-loth to return to the busy haunts of men. The idea is 
at once so tender and universal that it is not surprising that America's most 
Horatian poet — William CuUen Bryant— should have given it the most ex- 
quisite expression : 

I know, I know I should not see 

The season's glorious show ; 
Nor would its brightness shine for me 

Nor its wild music flow; 
But if around my place of sleep 
The friends I love should come to weep. 

They might not haste to go. 
Soft airs and song and light and bloom 
Should keep them lingering by my tomb. 
These to their softened hearts should bear 

The thoughts of what has been. 
And speak of one who cannot share 

The gladness of the scene. 
Whose part in all the pomp that fills 
The circuit of the summer hills 

Is— that his grave is green. 
And deeply would their hearts rejoice 
To hear again his living voice. 



163 



FOREST HOME. 



This cemetery is situated between West Madison and West Twelfth Sts., 
about four and one half miles west of the present City Limits, and embraces 
the most beautiful part of the once celebrated Ilaase's Park, comprising nearly 
one hundred acres of land. These grounds have gained a wide reputation for 
the beauty of their natural scenery; in fact their equal in that respect can not 
be found around Cliicago. Ko spot could be more advantageously situated 
than the location of Forest Home, it being tifty-six feet above the level of 
Lake Michigan and the crown of the water-shed between the Atlantic and the 
Gulf. The water running from the roof of a house on the grounds on one side 
tinds the St. Lawrence, while the drops that fall on the opposite side go to 
the Mississippi. 

Comparatively few people in Chicago know what beautiful glimpses of 
Xature in her restful moods lie within easy reach of the city. The wheelmen 
are finding some of them, and' every Sunday numbers of bicycles may be seen 
on the way west to the woods that 1)order the Desplaines river. Artists too 
have learned of these spots, and views on the Desplaines are now to be seen at 
our art expositions both in oil and water colors. Years before the white man 
liad come into this Western country the Indians had perceived the beauties of 
the natural park that borders the river between tiarrison and Twelfth Streets, 
and had consecrated it to burials, and to-day there still remains undisturbed 
an Indian mound — the final record of a departed race. The Indian always 
selected for his camp and his burial Nature's choicest spots, and civilization 
has, in this place at least, confirmed his judgment and i-enewed the consecra- 
tion — the limits of the Indian park now marking the boiuidaries of the most 
beautiful cemetery about Chicago. The prodigality of Nature in this beauti- 
ful spot seems to have inspired the management of the Forest Home Ceme- 
tery with a love of the beautiful. All improvements must be made on one 
general plan, and it is the aim to add to the natural beauties instead of dis- 
pelling them. "How appalling," says an eminent writer upon this subject, 
"are the acres of square plats and stone and iron inclosures that thrust the 
notion of property into your face at every turn, and at once break up the ex- 
pression of the landscape and the thought that l)ecomes the resting place of 
the dead." A glance at eitlier of the views in Forest Home shows that in 
this resting place no such feeling comes to friend or stranger — Nature's beauties 
are unbroken. The visitor feels that his sympathy is not shut out by iron or 
stone, but that here private sorrow is lifted into universal fellowship. _ The 
"lawn system ' adopted by the management is the system forshadowed in the 
article quoted from. 

Notwithstanding its natural wildness and rural beauty, it is the nujst 
accessible of Chicago cemeteries. Tlie Wisconsin Central and the electric cars 
on Madison Street land passengers almost at the gates of Forest Home. It is 
also connected with the city by well-kept roads on Madison and Twenty-second 
Sts. and Riverside Boulevard. A natural elevation in one partof the groiuiils has 
been taken advantage of by the management to erect a new vault for tempo- 
rary purposes. It has an iron and glass roof just even with the surface of the 
ground, and runs back into the mound, leaving only the front in view, which 
opens upon a roadway extending along the face of the mound. A continuation 
of this elevation gives an opportunity for those preferring this manner of .sep- 
ulture, to build and own private vaults, which can be entered from the drive. 



— 164 — 

Among the names of those who have secured resting places for their dead 
there are many of the prominent residents of our city and western suburbs. 
Handsome monuments mark the grave of Philander Smith, for many years a 
leading citizen of Oak Park; similar memorials adorn the beautiful "lots of 
Edward G. Uihlein, a resident of Chicago, of H. W. Austin, of C. H. Robin- 
son, and of 8. E. Hurl but, Joseph Kettlestrings and Reuben Whaples, who 
were the first settlers of Oak Park, are buried here; and lots belonging to 
Clarence Cross, S. E. Hurlbut, George Eckart, E. H. Pitkin, J. H. Hurlbut 
and many others are pointed out. 

Forest Home is the only one of Chicago's cemeteries at which the lawn 
system governed exclusively from the beginning; hence the uniform park like 
appearance of the grounds so much admired by all visitors. Under this system 
,no coping or "other means of marking the boundaries of lots can be used, ex- 
cept corner stones, and these must not rise more than six inches above the 
surface, thus making it easy to keep the lawns uniform. The Cemetery Com- 
l)any furnishes the corner stones with the name, of the owner cut upon them 
free of charge. Aside from this, those purchasing lots in Forest Home imder 
this system are exempt from all charges or assessments for keeping their lots 
in good order. One of the most commendable features of this cemetery is the 
"Perpetual Care Fund" established by the company a few years ago. This 
fund is created and continually augmented by semi-annual payments of ten 
per cent of the receipts from sale of lots by the Cemetery Company, and is 
entirely under the control and for the benefit of lot owners, ensuring them 
ag^tinst aiiy neglect of the grounds at any time hereafter. Of the roads lead- 
ing to this cemetery, Madison Street, River.side Boulevard and Twenty-second 
Street, should be preferred. Parties desiring to go by rail can take the Wis- 
consin Central main line to Forest Home Station, which is only a few blocks 
from the cemetery, or take the Electric Line from the terminus of West Madi- 
son Street cable car line to Forest Home. 

x\.s it was found desirable, that there be reserved, out of the gross income 
of this company, a fund to be used for the ptirpose of keeping in order, em- 
bellishing and improving the cemetery, at a time when the income from the 
sale of lots can no longer be used for that purpose by the Board of Directors, 
it was resohed, that tiiere be created a fund, to be called the Forest Home 
Improvement Fund, which fund shall be tuider the sole and exclusive man- 
agement and control of a Board of Trustees to be called the Trustees of the 
Forest Home Improvement Fund. The fund in question shall be created in 
the following manner: The Board of Directors shall retain out of the gross 
proceeds of the sale of lots, a sum equal to ten per centum, and pay the same 
over to said Board of Trustees. The payments so to be made by the Board of 
Directors, shall cease, when the said fund reaches the sum of Twenty-five 
Thousand ($25,000) Dollars, and the performance of this undertaking on the 
part of the Forest Home Cemetery Company may be enforced at any time by 
a proper proceeding in equity, to be instituted in the names of the members 
of the Board of Trustees. 




167 — 



WALDHEIM CEMETERY. 



Situated in tlie town of Harlem, on the Dcsplaines River, and about nine miles 
from the city, is a German cemetery of exceptional beauty in its general aspect 
as well as in the tasteful and pleasing maimer in which the various sections 
of the grounds have been laid out and changed into so many bright and cheer- 
ful garden spots Like most of the otiier large cemeteries, Waldheim is open 
to all, and makes no distinction between the believer or unbeliever, between 
Christian, Jew or Heathen. The park-like grounds contain 80 acres of well 
drained land, about half of which is still covered with a dense wood of healtliy 
oak trees, whose days however are uumln'red. During the last five or si.x 
years, improvements of a costly and quite an extensive character have been 
carried on here and Avherever one casts his glance, he will .see undoubted 
]iroofs of the earnest desire on the part the management, to leave nothing un- 
done, that miglit tend to give greater perfection to the general system and 
create a source of gratitication for the lot owners and visitors as well. The 
remarkable success achieved by the management in this direction is due in a 
great measure to the untiring efforts of ^Ir. John Biihler, the secretary of the 
association, who devotes a great deal of his time to the active supervision of 
all matters concerning the cemetery, and to the good work done by Mr. George 
Schrade, the able superintendent. The management succeeded in inducing 
the Wisconsin Central Jtailroad to extend their tracks to the northeast corner 
of the enclosure on Desplaines Avenue, whereby it was made possible to l)ring 
the funeral trains within a few steps of the main entrance; besides these means 
of transportation the Electric Street Kailway, which connects with the cabh; 
trains on IMadisou Street at West Fortieth Street, runs its cars up Desplaines 
Avenue to the imposing, castle like cemetery gate. The latter contains a 
spacious chapel on the right hand side and the business office of the superin- 
tendent on the left. "From the books in this office can be ascertained, that the 
first interment took place on May 7, 1873, and that the bodies laid to rest 
there since, number more than 16,000. 

Immediately after passing through the gateway and passing along the 
main drive leading therefrom, we find ourselves in the midst of a large open 
meadow, tastefully planted with trees and shrubs and further embellished by 
two small artificial lakes, their mirror-like surface reflecting the azure of the 
sky and the swiftly fleeing clouds. On each side of the well kept drives and 
paths stretches of fresh green turf meet the eye, relieved by the darker clumps 
of shrubs, by flowers and trees and by the scattered monuments, which indicate 
the purposes of the place. 

Here a spacious burial-lot can be obtained at a moderate sum by everv 
household, that shall remain an heirloom forever sacred and inviolate. Kiii- 
dred of several generations can repose together, and they may adorn their 
])urial place with such works of art. as affection shall dictate. And not onlv 
single families, but kindred and affiliated branches and societies may choose 
their resting places side by side, the ties of friendship and consanguiuit v, 
strong in life, not wholly sundered in death. Waldheim, the German for Fdr' 
est Home, does not blind us to the fact of our mortality — it cannot and shoulil 
not — but it brings the fact before us in the least forbidding form and in such 
connections, that, while we are subdued and solenmized, we are also sustained 
and cheered. So that, while we stand and look upon the grave, all manner of 
pleasant images ri.se before us. Waldheim is not a door leading into dark- 
ness, but tile gate of glory, where friends come to say their last farewells. It 
is one of those cemeteries, happily becoming more and more numerous, where 
in a conspicious way, rjardenmine adornment is especiallv noticeable, far dif- 
ferent from many of the old burying grounds, so forlorn a'nd hideous, that the 
school-boy hurries past them in affright and both voung and old shudder at 
the thought of being finally deposited there. It Is near enough to the city, 
as to be easy of access at all seasons of the year and yet not so nigh, as to sac- 



— 168 — 

rifice augliL of its sacredness and privacy, or that it will ever be liable to cu- 
croachment by the demands of commerce or population. 

Waldheim, while not possessing the frigid stateliness of a public park, or 
the elaborate decorations and liigli finish of a suburban country-seat, is truly 
a secluded, cultivated scene, witli no air of presumption or unfitting display 
and awakening no thoughts except those of security, repose, aflfectionate re- 
membrance, cheerful hope, in fine, the grounds wear an expression of solenm- 
ity and subdued beauty. 

In reference to the portion yet covered with forest oaks, it is proposed to 
thin them out from year to year, removing first the oldest and those showing 
signs of decay, then the tall and meagre and finallj^ all except those standing 
near the avenues or in certain spaces intended for driveways. It is no longer 
permitted to surround burial lots with unsightly iron palisades or stone enclos- 
ures, because the management is following the example set down by other 
progressive cemetery-gardeners, and long ago became determined to avail 
itself of the advantages offered by the lawn system. 

The living owners of burial lots and graves seem to take great pride in the 
tasteful embellishment of those spots so dear to them, and they thereby greatly 
assist the cemetery management in their praiseworthy efforts, to press upon 
every thing within the enclosure the stamp of harmony and attractiveness. 
The number of neglected or forgotten graves is insignificantly small. Through- 
out the cemetery parterres of sweet scented flowers, picturesque trees and 
clumps of evergreens are scattered in the most appropriate spots. The beau- 
ties of the place, indeed, appear to be fully appreciated, for the garden, as we 
may not inappropriately call the grounds, are fairly filled with persons, not 
only on Sundays, but on every week day during the summer months, evi- 
dently enjoying the quiet, the pure air and the charming landscape. 

Quite a number of German Societies are the owners of lots here, upon 
which some of them, the Druids and Odd Fellows for instance, have erected 
splendid monuments of great artistic merit. Besides these there are the Ger- 
man Society, German Altenheira, German Hospital, Aurora Turnverein, Turn- 
verein "Vorwaerts," Schleswig-Holstein Benevolent Socio43^ Lodges from the 
Orders of Harugari and Sons of Hermann, Herder Lodge from the Order of 
Free Ma.sous, Order of Red Men, Social Workingmens' Society of the West 
Side, etc. As is well known, the friends of the executed anarchists were per- 
mitted by the Waldheim Association to lay the bodies of their so called "Mtir- 
tyrs" to rest in this cemetery. They were buried near the southern driveway 
in a very choice section of the grounds, where their common grave is crowned 
by a marble head stone, and covered with beds of flowers. The burial lot 
contains 1,500 square feet and is enclosed by an iron chain ; in the near future 
a large monument with allegorical figures is to take the place of the present 
low head stone. In the southwestern corner of the cemetery a Jewish congre- 
gation buries its dead. 

Upon the monuments that are above mediocrity and show good taste, as 
well as the skill of the sculptor, the following names are inscribed : Troost 
Bros., Arno Voss, Werner Clussmann, U. Seyfried, Wilhelmine Ilellwig. Geo. 
Jansen, Louise and Wilhelm Scliroeder, Jacques Frohlich, Matliias Schvdz, II. 
Wiemann, John B. Mliller, N. Righeimer, Anton Schuerlc, Friedrich ilaas, 
Joseph Fischer, M. Gottfried, John L. Horber, E. 11. Lott, John Kummer, 

B. L. lioos, Johanna Hohner, G. Tarnow. J. Ilanke, Peter Koehler, Minna 
Maurer, — Bodenschatz, Margarethe Underberg, John H. Schmidt, Auguste 
ZOllner, John Trogg, A. Delp, Moritz Langeloth, John Blihler, etc. 

It remains yet to be mentioned that Waldheim also contains a spacious re- 
ceiving vault built after the most approved fashion and located on the main 
driveway. 

The directors of Waldheim Cemetery are: John Buehler, Jos. Fischer, 

C. F. Geist, Wm. Feindt, Phil. Maas, Jacob Heissler, John Lingenberg, T. J. 
Lefens, G. Schweinfurth, John M. Faulhaber, Dr. Theo. Wild, Theo. Guen- 
ther, II. N. Lafrentz and W. C. Seipp. The following arc the olflcers: Pliil. 
]\Iaas, president; Jacob Ileissler, vice-president; J. M. Faulhaber, treasurer; 
John Buehler, secretary; G. Schrade, superiuteudeut. 




%Tr 


v| ■ '^'^ 




"3; 




— 171 



EIGHT SMALL JEWISH CEMETERIES 

are established on both sides of the road leading from Forest Home to River- 
side, and about one mile distant from the latter cemeter}^ On the signs that 
overhang the entrance-gates, the names of the congregations and societies who 
own these burying places are painted as follows: "Austrian-Hungarian Benev- 
olent Society;*" "Anshe Suwalk, Chicago;" "Cliewre Anshe Ernes;" "Moses 
Montefiore;" "Ohavo Amuno;" "B'nai Abraham." "Improved Order of Free 
Sons;" 'Free Sons of Israel." The cemetery of the last named Order, which 
is composed of ten Chicago lodges, is the largest and by far the handsomest of 
them all; it is evident from the general appearance of the grounds that they 
were laid out and embellished with excellent taste. This cemetery is situated 
between the roadway and the DesiDlaines river, the shores of which at that point 
are beautifully ornamented with stately trees, whose heavy green foliage forms 
a very effective background to these villages of the dead. The opening of 
the cemetery owned 'oy the "Free Sons of Israel" took place in 1876, and since 
then more than a hundred bodies were laid to rest there. The directors have 
expended over $10,000 for improvements, and they have spared no efforts to 
keep pace with the progress made elsewhere in cemetery-work and to provide 
these grounds with all the cheerful and yet solemn aspects which we look for 
in a model cemetery. The original cost of the five acres of land was $1200, 
and in the beginning, lots 12 x 16 feet were sold to members at $10 each. To- 
day the value of lots of the same size has advanced to $50. The cemetery is 
open not only to members of the Order and the poor it assists and buries, "but 
also to Jews who do not belong to the organization. 

The burial ground of the "Improved Free Sons of Israel," directly opposite 
the cemetery of the "Free Sons" without the prefix "Improved" has'been sold, 
as the Order went out of existence; seemingly it did not prove an "Improve- 
ment" on the old Order of Free Sons. 




— 172 — 



CONCORDIA CEMETERY 

is situated in the town of Harlem on the Desphiiues river, about nine miles 
west from the City Hall. The main entrance is on Madison Street, directly 
west of the German Old People's Home. This is a German Lutheran Cem- 
etery containing 60 acres of well drained laud and is under the management 
of seven Lutheran Congregations. The grounds everywhere show scrupulous 
care and bear evidence that the management is liberal in its expenditures for 
necessary improvements. More than half of the entire territorj^ of which 16 
acres are situated south of the Minnesota & Northwestern railroad tracks, has 
been laid out and devoted to purposes of interment. According to an estab- 
lished rule enclosures of any kind are not permitted around burial lots and 
another very wise rule obligates the cemetery-superintendent to keep the 
walks and drives clean and in good condition, to allow no weeds to disfigure 
lawns or graves, to keep the grass low and the flowers on the little mounds 
well watered during dry seasons. 

The total number of bodies buried in Concordia reaches nearly 16,000, of 
which about half are slumbering in single graves. The cemetery was dedi- 
cated and opened in 1873, but not until the association was incorporated as a 
stock company in 1884, was there more than ordinary importance placed 
upon beautifying and embellishing the grounds. Among the later improve- 
ments a massive and ornamental entrance gale and public vault with space 
for 400 cotlins were the most significant and necessitated an outlay of about 
$15,000. The building forming the entrance gate contains the office of the 
superintendent, a waiting room and storage cellars. The bell-tower crown- 
ing this structure has a height of 55 feet and is covered with copper and slate. 
Besides the improvements mentioned the windmill-pump erected a few years 
ago also plays an important part among the resources of this model grave- 
yard, which" is reached by taking the cable and electric cars on Madison Street, 
or the trains of the Wisconsin Central Railroad. 




175 



MOUNT OLIVE. 



This charming cemetery is situated near the Coimty Institutions at Dunn- 
ing, in the Town of Jefferson, on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul R. R. 
It can justly lay claim to the designation charming, for it unites in a very 
high degree the beauties of a park garden with the repose and solemnity of a 
city of the dead. Within the enclosures of this God's Acre there are 52i acres 
of 'high and dry land, laid out in blocks and lots and single graves, planted 
with stately trees, flowering shrubs and children of the garden flora, the em- 
blems of love, faith and charity. 

Although Mount Olive is one of the youngest among Chicago's park-cem- 
eteries, it hiis nevertheless gained quite an enviable reputation for itself as a 
burying ground, combining all the elements and advantages, that make up a 
model cemetery. 

It was turned over to public use in August, 1886, and is now the last rest- 
ing place of over 7,000 former inhabitants of Chicago. The lawn system was 
adopted from the first and what has been done under this system so far, shows 
excellent taste and a thorough knowledge of landscape gardening. Enchanting 
views are obtained at different points about the grounds; quite a peculiar fea- 
ture of this ' ' Yard of Peace " are a number of well developed crab apple 
trees, which, when laden with their ripe, golden fruit in Autumn, lend a sing- 
ular beauty to the picturesque landscape all around. Adjoining these fruit 
trees a small grove of firs form a deep green border on the side nearest to the 
County Infirmary and will eventually, one by one. be transferred from there 
to such spots, as may be in need of tree-ornamentation. 

The technical management of the cemetery is entrusted to able hands, to 
the experienced superintendent. J. S. Birkeland, who for seventeen years acted 
as superintendent of Graceland cemetery, where he earned an enviable repu- 
tation and proved an important factor in the accomplishment of many valu- 
able improvements. 

Mount Olive is a Scandinavian Lutheran cemetery, but the privileges ex- 
tended to those, wishing to lay to rest their deceased relatives, are not confined 
to Scandinavians or Liitherans alone; people of all creeds and nationalities, 
who are able and willing to conform to the rules and regulations laid down by 
the cemetery company, are permitted to bring the remains of their departed 
loved ones to this beautiful park cemetery, and take away the consoling 
thought, that they have left the form that no longer feels the vexations and 
struggles of life, in the midst of all this peaceful beauty. 

A spacious receiving vault, built after the latest scientific formala and in 
connection therewith a fine Chapel have been erected, but the jirincipal fea- 
ture in the development of this " God's acre" consists in the natural facilities 
for drainage, secured by the remarkable elevation of the grounds. Land, so 
thoroughly drained, has no superior for cemetery purposes. 

As already indicated, this cemetery is surrounded on all sides by a delight- 
ful and vast landscape. The many fine shade trees within the limits of Mount 
Olive with their rich foliage, turning into golden yellow, red and brown in au- 
tumn, tend to heighten the effect of the picturesque scenery in its entirety. 
The highest part of Mount Olive lies at an elevation of 18 feet above the level 
of the surrounding prairie, consecpiently the many handsome monuments 
adorning the cemetery can be noticed at some distance peeping through the 
leafy bowers of shrubs and trees. 



— 176 — 

The cemetery company was organized and received its charter in April, 
1886. The License was issued to Paul O. Stensland, Frith j of Hjortdahl, Ole 
L. Stangeland, Andrew P. Johnson, Christian L. Benson Hjalmar P. Bruse- 
witz and Alfred Jacobson as Commissioners to open books for subscription to 
the capital stock of said company. 

The capital stock of the Scandinavian Lutheran Cemetery Association 
originally was twenty-tive thousand dollars. Among the largest shareholders 
were: Paul O. Stensland, Bernt Anderson, A. P. Johnson, Ole L. Stangeland, 
Jens Olson, Jacob Johnson, John Eskilsou, John Anderson, C. L. Benson, 
Louis Carlson, L. Branstad, G. Gabrielson, etc. 

On the 10th day of April, 1886, the stockholders, in a meeting held for 
that purpose, proceeded to elect Directors for the term of one year, viz; 
Andrew P. JohusOu, Alfred Jacobson, Paul O. Stensland, Ole L. Stangeland, 
Christian L. Benson, Benjamin F. Richolson and Severt T. Gunderson, 

Of the officers elected at that time Mr. Paul O. Stensland, who was chosen 
Secretary and Treasurer, has been in active service ever since up to the present 
day and to his indefatigable and zealous activity is owing in a great measure 
the remarkable success. Mount Olive cemetery has achieved. 

The Directors of the Cemetery Association now are: S. T. Gunderson, Pres- 
ident; Paul O. Stensland, Secretary and Treasurer; Charles E. Schlytern. 
Soren D. Thorsen, Anker Stabford, Halvor Michelsen, and John Oleson. 

Paul O. Stensland was born in Sandeid, Stavanger Amt, Norway, on May 
■^th, 1847. He grew up in the healthful surroundings of farm life in his native 
land and received his early elementary education in the schools of the district. 
At the age of eighteen years we find him leaving the family home and farm 
and traveling to Hindo.stan, in Peninsular Asia. In this new land he imme- 
diately connected himself with the cotton and wool industries of India and be- 
came a large buyer. For almost six years he traveled extensively through 
that country and at the same time acquired great knowledge and experience 
thereby. In the fall of 1870, he returned to his native country and during his 
short stay of three months both of his parents died. This sad family bereav- 
ment prompted Mr. Stensland to again leave his home and this time he chose 
Chicago as the field of his labors. He arrived here in the spring of 1871, and 
has resided here ever since. His first venture here was in the dry goods busi- 
ness, in 1885 he entered the real estate and insurance business and four years 
later he was sufficiently known and had gained the confidence and respect of 
his fellow citizens in such a degree, that he commenced a private banking 
business, in which he was so successful that in 1891 he changed this private 
bank to a State bank; of this, the Milwaukee Ave. State Bank, he is at present 
the president. Mr. Stensland is, as appears from the description of JNIount 
Olive cemetery, the Secretary and Treasurer of this company and he also is 
the publisher of the Scandinavian newspaper 'Norden." For nine years, 
from 1879 to 1888, he was a member of the Board of Education of this city, in 
which he acquired a high reputation by his energy and executive ability in 
the discharge of his duties as member and chairman of some of the most im- 
portant committees. 

The former Mayor of this city, DeWitt C. Cregier. appointed him a mem- 
ber of a committee in connection with Washington Hesing, Ferd. Peck and 
General Fitz-Simons, for tiic purpose of revising the city charter of Chicago. 

When Mr. James Scott, of tlie Chicago " Herald," resigned from the pos- 
ition as director of the World's Columbian Hxposition, the vacancy was filled 
l)y tiie election of Mr. Stensland to the position. In Ajiril, 1892, he was re- 
elected director. He is a member of the Iroquois Club and several Scandi- 
navian societies. 



I 

I 







h ■ i>* 



\ 




TJ) 



BOHEMIAN NATIONAL CEMETERY. 



The extreme north-western portion of our city, the Town of Jefferson, 
likewise possesses a number of cemeteries and near iliem people, to whom 
these cemeteries and the funeral corteges arriving and leaving furnish the 
means of subsistence. These people are the grave diggers, saloon-keepers, 
gardeners, manufacturers and dealers in monuments, etc. 

The largest and most extensively used of these burying grounds is the 
Bohemian National Cemetery, situated about one mile from Irving Park in 
a north-easterly direction on Crawford Avenue. Here the pilgrim who has 
arrived at the end of life's journey, can enter without being questioned about 
his religion, color, or nationality. Equal rights are accorded to all. The 
immediate vicinity of this city of the dead is very charming, made so by the 
many pretty groves and other natural beauties the surrounding country 
possesses. 

Since the Bohemian National Cemetery has been opened the whole 
neighborhood has greatly improved and all the property around has risen in 
value, especially after the region had been annexed to the city of Chicago. 
The place is but seven miles from the Court House, and will soon be connected 
with the center of the city by an electric railroad which the enterprising 
citizens of the 27th ward are going to build soon, having been incorporated 
for that purpose in September, 1892. This railroad will also connect the 
Insane Asylum of Cook County, and the Bohemian and Polish Catholic 
Cemetery with the city, and will greatly help in enlivening and settling this 
beautiful part of the city; here the Chicago River glides through beautiful 
fields and groves, having its water untarnished and not yet poisoned by the 
additions received farther on from so many shops and factories along 
its shores. 

The cemetery was opened in the summer of 1877 and owes its existence 
to the freethinking half of the Bohemian population of Chicago. There 
were about 40,000 Bohemians in the city at that time, of whom about 25 per 
cent belonged to the Catholic church and the others where freethinkers, hav- 
ing a large congregation of Bohemian Freethinkers founded in 1871, called 
the "Svobodna Obec" and meeting at the large Bohemian Hall on Taylor 
street, that was destroyed by fire not long ago. The minister of this congre- 
gation was Frank B. Zdrubek, and the Catholics were led by their pastor, 
Rev. Jos. Molitor, at the St. Wenceslaus Cliurch on Dekoven street. 

In the year 1876 a discord of long duration broke out among the church 
members of the St. Wenceslaus' parish. Many persons who considered them- 
selves good Catholics were prohibited from burying their relatives and mem- 
bers of their families in the Bohemian and Polish Catholic Cemetery, situated 
on Milwaukee avenue, about 13 miles from the Court House. The parson 
])ut forth different reasons for his actions which where not acceptable and did 
not seem reasonable to the Bohemians, and their discontent grew alarmingly, 
as the repeated refusals of burying caused great troubles and discords among 
the mourning relatives. To end all tliese disturbances, the Freethinkers con- 
voked a mass meeting on January 7th, 1877, and tliere the foundation of the 
new organization for the purpose of building a Bohemian National Cemetery 
was laid. The beginnings w ere small and slow, but good will and earnest 
endeavor succeeded magnificently. Many and great obstacles stood in the 
way of the undertaking, but all were overcome, and the cemetery, which 
originally had but 80 acres of ground has 50 acres now, and at this writing 
nearly 9,600 bodies sleep their eternal sleep there. 

The organization began with but seven strong Bohemian Societies and 
Lodges and grew every year until it now counts 36 Lodges or Societies. Every 



— 180 — 

Society and Lodo:e sends two representatives to the Board of Managers, con- 
sisting now of 72 members who are mostly elected alternately from their 
societies for one and two years. The incorporation of the Board ot Managers 
was signed at Springfield, 111., April 11th, 1877. 

Up to the present time about thirty acres of the entire area have been 
devoted to sepulture, and the superintendent deserves to be complimented 
for the excellent manner in which he performs his duties. The Board of 
Managers meet every two weeks at the Bohemian and English Free School 
building, No. 400 W. 18th street, and are untiring in working industriously 
for this undertaking, having no other remuneration i)ut the thanks and — 
sometimes ingratitude of their societies. Some of the members of the manage- 
ment have served throughout these fifteen years faithfully without pay, 
deserving high acknowledgement for their labors and sacrifices in the inter- 
est of this great cause. 

During the summer and autumn months the grounds represent a beauti- 
ful garden, artistically laid out and preserved by the skillful cemetery 
gardener, Mr. Leopold Ine, who takes good care of five green-houses in con- 
nection with the cemetery, devoting most of his time to artistic flori-culf ure, 
being especially clever and successful in bringing forth the rarest kinds of 
roses. How profitable the raising of flowers proves itself here, becomes 
evident from the fact that from the sale of flowers, the decoration of graves, 
and from watering the plants on these little mounds, no less than $6,600 was 
taken in during 1892. The five green-houses with all their improvements 
have cost $1 1,615 and the artesian wells $3,000. 

As has been the case in the most other cemeteries, here too the beginn- 
ing was made with stone copings and railings around graves, but several 
years ago the popular lawn system found favor with the Board of Managers 
and has happily now become the rule. Especially the western part of the 
cemetery is laid out in accordance with this system, and forms one of the 
most pleasant spots in the cemetery. 

The management has very properly placed a great deal of importance 
and paid out large sums of money on the drainage and water systems, which 
are models of perfection, and have so far cost over $9,000. The walks and 
roads in tho cemetery up to the present time involved an expenditure of 
$15,000. The first artesian well was sunk to a depth of 1610 feet, from which 
250 gallons of pure and clear water gush forth each minute. All the pro- 
perty of the cemetery with its improvements amounts to $80,000, according 
to the last report of the financial committee. The Board of Managers devote 
a considerable portion of the clear profits of the undertaking to benevolent and 
educational purposes. They bury from 30 to 50 poor dead persons every 
year gratis, and allow besides other small gifts for charitable purposes, 
several hundred dollars for Bohemian and English free schools, of which 
Ihere are five in the city of Chicago. 

In 1885 a monument to Rev. Prof. Ladimir Klacel, a Bohemian philo- 
^ophe^ and scholar who died at Belle Plaine, la., in 1883, was erected at a 
cost of $800 with the bust of the great freethinker faitli fully carved in white 
marblo by the sculptor Frank Hess of Irving Park. In the spring of 1802 a 
fine Soldiers' Monument was erected and dedicated, costing about f5,000. 
Many of the Bohemian Societies have taken steps leading to the erection of 
% Bohemian National Monument in this cemetery, for which space has been 
reserved in a large circular plat of the main driveway. There are quite a 
number of handsome and costly monuments scattered over this cemetery, 
cpon which we read the names of the most prominent Bohemian families of 
Chicago. 

The following are the officers for 1893: Vaclav Matas, President; Joseph 
!I!ora, Vice-President; Joseph Becvar, Corresponding Secretary, St. J. llalik, 
Financial Secretary; Joseph Babka, Treasurer; Joseph A. Smejkal, Joseph 
bindelar, Frank Fucik, Board of Trustees; Joseph Koslner, Superintendent. 



^Jts 




lioheiiiiiiii National <«>iii<'(«Tj .— Soltliers' Moiiiiiiu^iit. 



._^< 



Qther Sketches and Views 



I 



I 



I 




iSl — 



p. S. PETERSON'S ROSE HILL NURSERY. 



About a mile and a half west of the cemeterj- at Roseliill and the ad- 
joining station of the Northwestern Railroad, in the midst of a charming stretch 
of country, is situated an extensive plantation full of interest to the friends of 
arboriculture and the lovers of Nature in general. This picturesque oasis in 
the wide plain given over to agricultural pursuits, covers an area of over four 
hundred acres and forms the w^ell known Nursery of Mr. P. S. Peterson, whicli 
is not only the largest but also the oldest " tree-scliool " in the vicinity of Chi- 
cago, having been established by the present owner twenty-eight years ago, dur- 
ing which time it has furnished a very large number of the shade-trees and orna- 
mental shrubs now adorning our public parks, cemeteries, residence streets, 
and private gardens. From this it may be inferred, that arboriculture is car- 
ried on here as a business enterprise, but notwithstanding this fact Mr. Peter- 
son deserves to be ranked among the most prominent promoters of the public 
welfare, for without his ceaseless and highly successful labors upon the field 
of tree-growing for so many years, the people of our Metropolis would at 
the present day not be enabled to enjoy the blessings which are dispensed through 
the planting of foliage-trees and blooming shrubs upon our public grounds 
and streets, in such a large measure as is really and happily the case. Many 
thousands of the most beautiful trees in our parks: maple, linden, catalpas, 
elms, ash, poplars, etc, numberless shrubs and bushes, that cover themselves 
in the spring-time with a gay and festive mantle of sweet-scented flowers, re- 
ceived their tirst training at the hands of Mr. Peterson and his able assistants, 
at the head of which stands the only son of the proprietor, Mr. Wm. A. Peter- 
son, a young gentleman of extensive knowledge and learning. 

Among a people of culture and enlightenment planting and embellishing 
Nature herself, ranks among the first of public virtues. Gardening was prob- 
ably one of the first arts that succeeded to that of building houses, ))ut no 
iloubt the term Garden for many centuries implied no more than a kitchen- 
garden or orchard. Then the custom of making square gardens enclosed with 
walls were established to the exclusion of nature and prospect and these gar- 
dens became selfish and sumptuous solitudes. To crown these impotent dis- 
plays of false taste, the shears were applied to the lovely wildness of form 
witli which Nature had distinguished each various species of tree and shrub; 
the compass and scpiare were of more use in plantations tlian the landscape archi- 
tect. Sir Henry Englefield was one of the first who saw the errors, the landscape 
gardeners of his time had fallen into and he selected with singular taste that 
chief beauty of all gardens, prospect and fortunate points of view. Prospects 
were before this sacrificed to convenience and warmth and since then the art 
of landscape gardening has made such rapid strides in the direction of dis-' 
covering the point of perfection, that we may be justly proud of what has 
been achieved in softening Nature's harshnesses and copying her graceful 
touch. 

But in forming ornamental plantations the selection of the proper species 
of trees and shrubs is a most important point. In the choice of trees, four 
things are observable: tlie height, the form, the color and the use. The lat- 
ter is more essential to a good selection than may appear at first siffht, noth- 
ing lieightens the idea of ornament more than utility. Immediately under the 
eye, the gaudy shrub and the ornamental, though useless. Exotic may be ad- 
mitted, but for more distant objects and in less embellished situations the 
Timber tree ought to prevail. There is harmony in taste, as in music; variety 



— 188 — 

and even wildness, in its proper place, may be admitted, but discord ought 
not be allowed. , Trees should not only be well chosen, Ijut also well ar- 
ranged and well planted. If that is done, it will soon be observed, that even 
grass and trees alone are capable of producing a wonderful richness and ele- 
gance. 

The cheerful and inviting country-residence, in which Mr. Peterson dwells 
with his family, seems a suitable accompaniment to the stately trees, that em- 
bellish the recluse landscape, of which tlie delightful domicile of the propri- 
etor forms the main attraction. No wonder that strangers that pass by pause 
to admire this rural scenery; and the liberality of Mr. Peterson is equal to his 
taste. His gratifications are heightened by those who seek enjoyment in his 
place; giving orders that nothing may be omitted which can increase their 
pleasure. The house throughout shows that it is the home of intellectual pur- 
suits and refinement, being fully in harmony with the charming effect of the 
lofty grove without, whose fine old trees contribute not a little to make up an 
assemblage, which gives the mind ample food for reflection and great satis- 
faction to the eye. 

There are a number of outhouses, of which the imposing and massive 
stable is the most conspicuous. It is inhabited by many fine draft and riding- 
horses, cows of the Jersey breed and also contains the wagons and coaches 
in use on the place. From this park the tree and shrub plantations extend in 
all directions; the plants may there be seen in endless straight rows like s(jld- 
iers in line stretching as far as the eye can reach and producing charming ef- 
fects with their various shapes and color-tints. With the view of laying down 
a crop destined to stand for generations, Mr. Peterson has taken every j)re- 
caution to secure its vigor and success, by selecting plants of the most approved 
varieties of the species; he well understands the importance to obtain young 
l)lants grown from a good stock, or from the most approved trees of their 
kiud. Another thing in which he excels is the process of transplanting large 
and heavy forest trees. Nowhere else has this branch of nursery-work been 
brought to such a high state of perfection. Trees that weighed from 15 to 20 
tons and had attained the ripe age of 100 years, were successfully removed 
from their native soil and transplanted to new parts. 

The growing of trees and shrubs on these lands is as a matter of course 
confined to the cultivation of such as are ornamental and suitable to climate 
and soil. The majority of the plants are propagated on the premises, some are 
imported from foreign countries and they comprise principally new or rare spe- 
cies,in fact mostly plants that may be classed among the latest achievements upon 
the field of tree and shrub-culture, and wliich possess all the qualities requisite 
to a successful growth as an ornamental tree in this section of our country. 
And what is very important, a rolling appearance can given to our flat land- 
scape by the judicious arrangement of trees and shrubs of different sizes and 
shapes. 

Taking a stroll through the extensive plantation, we find among the trees 
many kinds, that have a large number of family relations, all adapted to our 
climiite and many of recent introduction; all promising to become valuable 
and ornamental. 

While wandering about, with Mr. Peterson as our guide, let us make 
brief notes of some of the best known and most popular ornamental trees and 
shrubs that present themselves to our notice. 

The Mountain Ash is a well-known beautiful tree with smooth branches 
and the leaves pinnate, with uniform, serrate, smooth leaflets. The beauty of 
its foliage is hardly surpassed by any other deciduous tree. 

The tall or common Ash attains to a great size, reaching in fine specimens 
to about 100 feet. It i)ossesscs a very elegant figure and forms during sum- 
mer a very desirable object in lawn or park scenery. 

The chief use of the Linden or Lime tree is to form an embowering shade 
along avenues and as a park tree or lawn ornament. In Scotland on the lawn 
at Gordon Castle stands a Linden tree with a head of nearly 100 feet and a 
trunk of over 16 feet in diameter. Uur American Linden is of a more ro- 
bust habit than the European tree. 



— 191 — 

The whole geuus of Maple is remarkably handsome and some of the species 
grow rapidly at an early age in almost anj'^ soil. Many kinds are interesting 
on account of their flowering early at the time of the expansion of the foliage; 
and from their elegantly-lobed leaves, o^ the finest texture, which in autumn 
furnish the most exquisite tints of every shade of 3'ellow and scarlet, they are 
highly prized in ornamental plantations. 

The Elm (Ulmus americaua) is a tall elegant tree of rapid growth. From 
the density of its foliage and its clustering habit of growth in bright weather 
it displays a variety of light and shade such as painters appreciate in such 
objects. 

The Poplar tree, like the Willows, is luiisexual — either u male or female 
plant. Tile poplar trees are remarkable for rapidity of growth and therefore 
they are frequently employed to furnish immediate effect in a bare locality. 

Among ornamental WillotDS the Salix Babylouica (Weeping Willows) forms 
a very graceful and interesting tree, but the American varieties have a 
higher value on account of their being extremely hardy. Their long slender 
twigs droop down with much elegance and become agitated by the slightest 
impulse of the wind, like the spray of a playing fovmtain. The JVlahogauy- 
willow, coming from France, with its bright red stem and branches makes a 
warm and attractive addition to our cold and long winters. 

The Birch, adapting itself to various soils and situations, possesses a wider 
range than any other plant. There are some very fine weeping l)irches, espe- 
cially the cut-leaved, which add a graceful variety of verdure to scenes in them- 
selves beautiful. 

The Alder in a cultivated state and in good soil attains to a considerable 
size and often 1)ecomes very picturesque in tigure and displays a ramification 
little inferior to that of the oak. 

Considered as an ornament few trees attract more attention than the 
Beech. Its stem is massive and powerful, its bark is smooth and of a silvery 
cast, and when the heat of summer unfolds its silken foliage, it displays a ver- 
dure of softness and delicacy and when viewed in the park, amidst "the sun- 
shine and showers of summer time, it is a gem indeed. 

The weeping Beech is a very valuable and ornamental tree and so is the 
out-leaved weeping beech, which is one of the most elegant pendulous trees in 
cultivation. It has the advantage of at once assuming the pendulous habit of 
growth. 

The JVbrwai/ Spruce is also of great beauty, of very uniform growth and, 
when allowed sufficient space in a congenial soil, it retains even at an advanced 
age, its branches and luxuriant foliage. 

The Pine tree tribe is too well known to need any description. It con- 
sists of evergreen trees, natives of Europe, Asia and America, and is perhaps 
one of the most valuable of any genus of ligneous plants. 

The Sycauiore grows to a great height and ample size, throwing out a wide- 
spread top. Its leaves are vine-shaped. Haubury says, the Sycamore being 
wounded exudes a great quantity of liquor, of which is made good wine. 
There are three varieties of the Sycamore. 

The beautiful Gatalpa will grow to a height of 40 or 50 feet, ana as the 
leaves are fine and large, it should be planted as a standard in the midst of 
fine openings, but these should be such as are well sheltered, for the leaves, 
being quite large, make such a resistance to the summer's high winds, as to 
occasion whole branches to be si)lit off by that powerful element. Of great 
beauty are the white flowers breaking open late in the Spring and adding in 
a great measure to the elegance of this handsome shade-tree. 

The Saow-drop tree or white Fringe tree, a native of Virginia, will grow to 
the height of about fifteen feet. Its leaves are large, shaped like a laurel, broad 
and roundish, and the flowers of a pure white, come out in bunches, in May, 
from every part of the tree. 

As an ornamental tree Chestnut also has a degree of greatness belonging 
to it which recommends it strongly to the gardeners attention. 

The Hydranrjea seldom grows to more than a yard or four feet hi^h and 
affords as much pleasure to those who delight in fine flowers as it does to the 



— 192 — 

botanist. The leaves are a great ornament to these plants; being very !arge 
and having their upper surface of a line green and their under rather downy. 
But the Howers constitute the greatest beauty of these plants, for they are pro- 
duced in very large bunches in August. Their color is white and the end of 
every bunch will be ornamented with them. They have an agreeable odor 
and make such a show altogether, as to distinguish themselves even at a con- 
siderable distance. 

Of the shrubbery St. John's Wart, or Hypericum, there are several varieties, 
one .of which will grow to a height of eight feet. The flowers are yellow and 
make a good show in June and July and are succeeded by oval black-colored 
capsules, containing ripe seeds in the autumn. 

The deciduous Privet ( Ligustrum Vulgare ) will grow to a height of about 
ten or twelve feet. The dark green letxves continue on the tree very late and 
the flowers, which are white and very beautiful, are succeeded in tlie autumn 
by black berries, which at that season constitute the greatest beauty of the 
plant. 

The black and garden Mulberry is principally cultivated for the fruit and 
in ornamental plantations a few of them will be sufficient to make the collect- 
tion general. 

The two thorned Acacia (Robinia) gets its leaves late in the Spring, but 
for this it makes ample amends b}^ the beautiful foliage it will display soon 
after. But its greatest beauty it receives from its flowers, which are produced 
in long pendulous bunches in June, their color is white. 

The Locust tree (false Acacia) grows very rapidly in rich, dry, well shelt- 
ered soil and becomes a tree of considerable height. 

The Lahurninn is the largest species of the very ornamental genus Cy- 
tisus. It is a low deciduous tree with trifoliate leaves. 

The Ehkr tree comprehends several species and has been known medicin- 
ally from the earliest period of our medicinal history. 

Besides those mentioned we also find many elegant species of Clematis, 
Ivy, Jasmine, Honeysuckle, Magnolia, Syringa, Sumach, Rose bushes, Lilac, 
Spiraea, Arbor Vita', Viburnum, Calycaiithus, ]Mock Orange, Bignonia, Vir- 
ginia Creeper, Xightshade, etc. 

Naturally there are not a few of the shrubs which find it very difficult to 
thrive and keep up a healthy growth in smoky factory-districts; others again 
can ill endure cold winds, while another class will demand a sunny location to 
ripen out its twigs and a fourth a position with jjlenty of shade; such con- 
ditions can be found many more. In laying out parks, gardens or cemeteries 
it is of the utmost importance to make a' wise selection of shrubs and to place 
them in positions, where they will grow and become an object of delight to 
the beholder. Especially is this true in regard to cemeteries. There the gar- 
dener can produce much more pleasing effects and impressions, than the sculp- 
tor with masterpieces of his art. 




— 195 — 



EGANDALE. 



\ 



The prevjiiling disposition amoug the people of the eastern cities to turn 
away from the overcrowded and inconvenient summer-resorts and seek recrea- 
tion and repose in country -homes of tlieir own, is rapidly taking hokl of their 
brethren in the western states, but instead of having to choose worn-out, aban- 
doned farms, like many of those in the New England states are, where natural 
scenery alone atones for the shortcomings indicated, "Chicagoites" have with- 
in easy reach of their city homes and business places a section of country, full 
of scenic beauty — where picturesque woodlands and water-views, fern-clad 
dells and velvety lawns vie with each other in well asserted claims for genuine 
admiration. 

Commencing just north of our city and bordering Lake Michigan for 
forty miles or more is a magnificent stretch of land yet largely in its primeval 
beauty. Gradually rising, the surface extending northward culminates in 
a height of about ninety feet, forming at the shore-line bold and precipitous 
bluffs. From Winetka north to Waukegan for quite a distance landward the 
surface is ramified by heavily wooded ravines, gradually growing deeper as 
they approach the lake and widening out until they represent a "sunken for- 
est" of considerable area. At Highland Park, these ravines are at their best 
and within the last few years many of Chicago's prominent citizens have here 
selected sites for summer-homes. Here the surface is gently undulating, form- 
ing numerous knolls, from which enchanting scenic-effects are everywhere vis- 
i\)\e; commanding views of the lake, with a sail or two mostly always in sight, 
for along this shore the great commerce of the lake passes on its way north 
and south; magnificent ravine-pictures, showing the feathery tree-tops, spring- 
ing from a low level, nod their plumes as a greeting to the passing breeze, 
thus calming and quieting the mind through the medium of our vision. 

The most conspicuous points of landscape-beauties are rapidly being 
taken for human habitations and many costly imrovements of this kind are 
imder way. We choose for the i)urpose of illustrating some of the natural beau- 
ties of this north-shore paradise with its glades and groves and cool secluded 
nooks "Egandale," a typical and model summer home, where peace and re- 
pose reign supreme, where rural, rustic beaxity exerts its soothing and refresh- 
ing influence. The broad vine-clad verandah suggests a cool retreat indeed 
during the mid-day hours. From this leafy bower is seen as charming a water- 
view, as some of the most renowned lakes of this country can boast of. A 
roadway near by, descending a ravine bank on its way to the lake some eighty 
feet below, cuts through the overlapping trees, through which is visible, em- 
bowered in emerald-green, the merrily dancing waters over the partly sub- 
merged pebbled shore — and by a lucky chance the bright light of the rising 
harvest-moon is spread out over the path of this vision and illuminates the 
rippling surface with its silvery fleece. 

Egandale consists of five and a half acres, nearly one-third of which is 
composed of wooded ravines. A main ravine forms the southern and western 
boundary line and small sub-ravines extend into the tableland — thus forming 
lovely bays and other points of interest. Being heavily wooded they act as 
shrubbery belts to hide and mask "surprises," which the wanderer constantly 
meets with — be it a rustic bridge, or a vine-covered bower, or some unexpected 
enchanting lake-view — there are many of them. One lake-view is particu- 
larly fine, where from a point, looking over the main ravine eighty feet deep, 



— 19G — 

which here makes an abrupt turn, a broad expanse of water is seen over the 
tree-tops. The trees of the upper portion of the banks form a V-shaped frame 
for the pictures and here again is seen the rising moon with all its accompany- 
ing glory. 

We have room for only a few illustrations of the many interesting sjiots 
of this summer-home. The "Rockery" speaks for itself as a good illustration 
of what can be accomplished in this department of landscape work. The 
"Baskef'-picture shows part of the lawn — the ravine trees bounding it on the 
south— the "Rockery," in the distance, in a line with the "Basket, "and the 
roadway leading to the lake. 




199 



DOMESTIC CONSERVATORIES. 



There are degrees of beauty in the leaves of plants; and while it is not 
reasonable to suppose that any one cultivator can tind accommodation for all the 
choice Exotics which are to be found in the principal gardens of this country 
or Europe, it is quite reasonable to conclude that from want of space he would 
be compelled to make a selection, retaining only those which most commend 
themselves to his admiration, either on account of their bold and striking or 
distinct character, or from their delicacy and beauty. 

Amateur plant growers have everywhere largely increased during the last 
few years and the collection of plants they cultivate is a proof that tlieir con- 
ception of the beautiful is not confined to brilliant colored flowers alone, but 
that tliey are able to appreciate grace and elegance in the form and markings 
of the leaves, independent of bloom, which has been for so many years the sole 
aim of the horticulturist. But although the beautiful-leaved plants are exceed- 
ingly ornamental and gay when grouped together by themselves, a judicious 
selection from both classes, according to the space at disposal, is the surest 
means of producing a gay and cheerful effect throughout the entire year. 

As a well known writer says: "For so many years it was the sole aim of 
1 he horticulturist to look forward to the development of tlowering plants as 
the sole reward of a whole seasons labor. Now, however, we live in happier 
times, and derive a greater share of pleasure from our plants, because we grow 
and prize many which have beautifully variegated or otherwise richly orna- 
mented leaves. How it was, that we were so long learning to love tJiese highly 
ornamental plants, it is difficult to say; but we are becoming thoroughly ali^■e 
now to the noble and massive beauty displayed by some, to tlie graceful and 
elegant outlines of others and to the richness" and singularity in the colors and 
markings of the leaves of many more." 

The love of the beautiful in nature, from a pansy to a forest oak, is deeply 
implanted in the human breast, and constitutes a source which requires only 
to be reached and acted upon in order to ditfuse on every side innumerable ad- 
vantages to individuals and to society. We see the love of plants and flow^ers 
existing, apparently under the most discouraging circumstances, and in spots 
where poverty chokes almost all the springs of wholesome pleasure. It is piti- 
able to see these sickly objects of care in the pent-up city pining under the 
influence of the dry atmosphere; and deep must be the inherent taste which 
can persevere in resisting the obstacles to healthy vegetation, caused by dele- 
terious matter floating constantly in the air, the excess of aridity or moisture, 
excessive heat and cold, sudden alternations of temperature, and nipping blasts 
from over the level plains. 

Against these destructive influences, the green-house or conservatory, 
which formerly was regarded as exclusively the appendage of the stately man- 
sion, or the suburban residences of the opulent, is a protection. The domestic 
green-house has been made an inexpensive means of gratifying a taste, whicli, 
while it is at once refined and elegant, excites an inquisitive spirit that raises 
those who are fortunate enough to be under its influence, above low and friv- 
olous pursuits. 

The exclusion of i^articles of soot and other noxious matter adapts the 
green-house for the city as well as the country, and we may select any space 
of sufficient size in which to build our green-house and l)id the plants of tropi- 
cal regions flourish in the most unpropitious spots in the heart of Chicago. In 
prisons, men have solaced themselves for the loss of liberty by the visits of a 



— 200 - 

spider or a mouse, whose motions they have studied and watched with delight; 
but here is a study open to a great many of tliose who enjoy the comforts of a 
liome, which is pregnant with the most admirable results, at once gratifying 
the eye and informing the mind and opening a page of the book of nature to 
the dweller of the city. 

The foregoing must not lead the reader to the belief, that a treatise on 
greenhouse-gardening and plant-culture is to follow. That is left to those 
who possess the necessary qualifications and knowledge of plants. 

The subject presented itself to the author during his visits to several of 
the most complete private collections of plants under glass-roofs in this city 
and among them none have obtained a greater celebrity than the plant-houses 
of the gentlemen named in the pages following. Tliese men have spared nei- 
ther time nor money in gatliering together from almost every quarter of the 
world some of the most wonderful and remarkable productions of the veget- 
able kingdom. 

ADOLPH SCHONINGER'S CONSERVATORY AND GARDEN. 

Mr. Adolph Schoninger is one of the few Chicagoans that have realized their 
youthful ideals. They had clung to him; lie had never deviated from the pro- 
gramme he had maj^ped out in his mind many years ago. And later he set 
about putting them in concrete shape. For a number of years he had found 
untold pleasure in horticulture and hot-house gardening at his residence, and 
recently, with practically illimitable means at his disposal, lie resolved to real- 
ize his boldest dream. So he bought a large plat of desirable property on Mel- 
rose Street, way out in Lake View, midway between Evanston Avenue and 
the lake. And on this he laid out a spacious garden and built him a tine 
house — commodious, just to his taste. 

And then he proceeded to build, adjacent to and directly connecting with 
the house, a fine and large private conservator}'. And it is this conservatory 
and the propagating houses belonging to it which are worthy of a description. 
Among the 1,500 kinds of foliage plants, flowers and fruit-trees represented in 
the green and liot houses under the care of a gardener, there are a hundred or 
more of the rarest and costliest. Some new varieties have been propagated by 
his own skill, and a few of these are as j'et not generally known to florists, 
and are still awaiting baptismal ceremonies. 

It is in the matter of orchids, those eccentric and luxurious children of the 
tropics, that this conservatory is especially rich. The collection comprises 
several hundreds of them, and among them are a score or more of very rare 
ones. Tbe dining-room connects with the conservatory by a broad, high 
glass door which is generally left open. Entering through it a scene of sur- 
passing vernal beauty meets the eye. A balmy air, slightly saturated with 
grateful moisture, tills the lungs. All around and over-head blossoms of deep 
tint give out a rich fragrance, and the e3'e feasts on the graceful, feathery fol- 
iage of palms and ferns. In a small but pretty aviary birds of tropical plum- 
age hop and chirp and sing, and an aquarium of handsome design is alive with 
glistening goldfishes and other creatures that love the water as their native 
element, while pinky shells and ferns of softest green make a harmonious color- 
effect about tiiem. The foot treads on a smooth, polished surface of stone, 
and through the glass doors beyond a glimpse of still rarer and more delicate 
plant life is had. As we look down these long lines of fantastic vegetation, 
glorying under the beams of a burning sun, and wrapped in a bath of humid 
half-suffocative air, it requires no great stretch of the imagination to conceive 
ourselves translated to those tropical countries where nature at play laughs at 
the rules to which she succumbs in our own more temperate country. 

Amidst the noble palm-trees the mind is struck with a feeling almost of 
awe. He must be apathetic, indeed, whose thoughts are not elevated in such 
a scene. Well did Linnaeus call palms the princes of the vegetable world: the 
beautiful character of their crown of leaves amply justifies the title. The 
species of palms and other plants found in Mr. .Sclioiiinger's houses are nearly 
all of them dwellers of the other plant-houses named in these pages and can be 



— 203 — 

admired by any respectable person, wlio may apply for admission to any one of 
these conservatories. 

Mr. Schoniuger has rendered his conservatory pleasing by selecting prin- 
cipally ornamental plants of robust constitution, with green leaves of different 
shades or variegated anil stout in texture. There are among a host of others: 
Palms, Dracaenas, Ferns, Begouias, Agaves, Yuccas, Anthuriums, Aralias, 
Crotons, Khododendrous, Pelargoniums, Gloxinias, Geraniums, Fuchsias, bul- 
bous plants in great variety, Camellias, etc. 

During the summer montlis Mr. Schijninger divides his early summer 
morning hours and the time after his return from his factory between thy 
conservatory and his many outdoor plants, which latter, on account of theit 
being spread and scattered over a large piece ,of territory, require a great deal 
of care and nurturing. This garden is a beauty indeed, with its handsome 
floral decorations, its artistically embellished lily-pond, its stately trees and 
shrubs, forming in all a very appropriate assemblage for the elegaut hou.se in 
their midst. 

EDWARD UIHLEIN'S CONSERVATORY. 

To the friends of nature, who on their excursions to the parks make use 
of the street car-lines, the horse-railway on North Avenue offers a most desir- 
able means of reaching Humboldt Park after having paid a visit to Lincoln 
Park, or to those wlio desire to go from Humboldt Park to the park on the 
North Side, for the cars of said line form a welcome connection between those 
two pleasure-gardens. They pass by Wicker Park, a finely ornamented square, 
or rather triangle, with beautiful trees, lawns, walks, ponds, etc, surrounded 
on all sides by handsome private residences, many of these having ])retty little 
flower-gardens in front, by which the owners or tenants of the houses evince 
their love of flowers in a marked degree. But foremost among these friends 
of the children of Flora stands Mr. Edward Uihlein, one of the vice-presidents 
of the Chicago Horticultural Society, a gentleman of tine tastes and great pop- 
ularity, and one who commands the honor and respect of all who have the good 
fortune of being acquainted with him. 

Mr. Uihlein resides on Ewing Place, between Robey Street and Hoyne 
Avenue, where lie and his family occupy a palatial residence that stands on 
the western end of a large park-like garden, richly but at the same time very 
tastefully embellished with flowers, shrubs and shade-trees. In the rear of 
these grounds and in close proximity to the familj'^ residence are situated the 
highly interesting greenhouses of Mr. Uihlein, which contain a collection of 
plants equal if not superior to any other private collection in this city. On 
these plants Mr. Uihlein bestows a great amount of loving care and imder his 
judicious and skilled treatment they thrive and prosper like grateful children 
imder the influences of affectionate parents. The total space devoted to the 
indoor-culture of flowers and plants covers an area of 34x56 feet and occupies 
an elevation high enough to furnish flowing water to a grotto of stalagmite 
situated in front of the pavilion-like conservatory. A neat fountain and a 
small goldfish-pond are attractive appendages of the warm-house filled witli a 
wealth of rare and beautiful plants. 

The greatest interest is awakened by the superb collection of orchids that 
are partly suspended from the glass roofs of the greenliouses, partly found in 
pots along the tiers below. 

The arrangement of the plants is pretty much after the natural system 
and each has a label with its correct botanical name. The terrestrial orchids 
are mostly placed in flower pots, filled with appropriate soil and these are in 
some cases put upon other empty pots to secure the drainage, while the epi- 
phytes or air-plants are all supported in the air in a manner diversified and 
curious. 

Several of the superb tribe mtflcj/n, named after an ardent admirer and 
cultivator of orchideous plants, were in full bloom diu-ing the author's visit, 
many of them emitting a fragrance which, added to their pre-eminent loveli- 
ness, makes them orchids of great esteem. One brilliant flower perfumed an 
area of many feet around it witli a scent like verbena. The mimic powers are 



— 204 — 

not confined to form, but extend also to the odor of other vegetable produc- 
tions. For instance lliere is a dusky tiger-spotted plant whose flower exhales 
a delicious smell like tluit of raspberries; another sad-colored flower of very 
graceful drooping inflorescence possesses a scent precisely like that of the 
scented geranium. 

Then there is the Pitcher-Plant, a native of Ceylon and a wonderful vagary 
of nature. The stem is erect and of a brownish color and the leaves are long 
and spear-shaped; the end of the central rib being lengthened out and su.stain- 
ing the pitcher by being attached to the bottom of it. Were the pitcher cut 
off and exhibited to any person unacquainted with the existence of such a veg- 
etable structure, when he examined its rougher, leathery, spotted exterior, its 
firm and rounded lip, so artificiaHy marked in green and red, and its accurately- 
adapted lid, he would most proba])ly unhesitatingly pronounce it to be an ar- 
tificial production. A little sourish water, supposed to be secreted by the 
inner surface of the organ, is occasionally found in the pitcher. There are 
several varieties of this plant, the most popular of which seems the Ncjienthes 
(lixtilldtorut. 

Baskets containing the magnificent class of orchids called Stanhopen also 
hang from the roof of said houses. Their ])eculiarity consists in the jjroduc- 
tion of their fiowers from the roots, which are of a large size, and beautiful 
texture and coloring. 

Among the extra-tropical orchids we find here the Oncidhnii tribe; the 
fiowers of some of these species exhale a most sweet fragrance. Then there is 
a i>lant called the Cypripedinm, wdiich represents a large brown spider on its 
flower. It is an American species and the spider whose form it portrays is 
said by Linnaeus "to be capable of destroying insects and even small hum- 
ming-birds." 

And now a word or two in a by-the-way manner upon the peculiarities of 
orchideous plants. Artificially they are divisible into two classes — the terres- 
trial, which grow in or upon the soil; and the epiphytal, which grow upon the 
trunks or branches of trees, rocks and stones. The latter are the most curious 
from the fact that they derive their nourishment not from the soil, ov as para- 
sitical i)lants do from the sap of the trees on' which they are found , but from the 
air. They have been called from this peculiarity "air plants" and present lis with 
a piienomeuon which was inexplicable until the researches of Liebig proved 
that plants, even growing in the soil, derive the principal portion of their solid 
constituent, wood, from tlic atmosphere. They extend long wliitish ro(>ts 
abroad into the air as other plants do into the earth, by which they derive 
their necessary food. It is an appearance well calculated to surprise the mind, 
to see great masses of vegetation, as are some of the plants before us, feeding 
and luxuriating in the atmosphere, the carbonic acid gas of which is their 
chief .support. 

The general appearance and structure of orchids is a perfect anomaly. In 
their native countries they are to be found crawling over the trunks and 
branches of forest trees, climbing to their topmost boughs and S(iuatting just 
wiiere the limbs are united to the parent trunk, where tjiey drop down clusters 
of fiowers, of which one is puzzled to say which is tiie most .striking — their 
beauty, grote.s(jue appearance, or excpiisite fragrance. The flowers are and 
have long been the puzzle and admiration of every botanist. 

Not the least of the peculiarities of orchids lies in their disposition to 
mimic many natural objects; there is scarcely any animate being to which the 
flowers are not comparable. With the most arti.stic skill, to speak playfully, of 
tlie most ludicrous character, they imitate insects, lizards, frogs, birds, ani- 
mals and even the liuman "face and form divine." From the roof of the green- 
houses they depend in rows; many of these plants are in bloom successively at 
every period of the year. 

And now let us take a look at some of the more conspicuous ornamental 
plants found in this collection. Following Mr. Uihiein, wiio kindly consented 
to a<;t as our guide and expounder, our attention is particularly directed to the 
following species: 



— 207 — 

Arecn, a genus of elegant pinnate-leaved Palms; Aralia, one of the most 
ornamental genus, is well adapted either for the conservatory or the open air 
in summer; Alocasia, plants of great beauty with large sagittate leaves and 
rich coloring; Begonias, which are not only remarkable for their free-flower- 
ing (jualities but also for the exquisite variegation of their foliage; Chainaedurea, 
a genus of Palms with rich shining green and elegant pinnate leaves; Cocos, 
graceful and shade-loving plants of a noble order, of which one species yields 
the well known fruit — the cocoa-nut; Carludovica, Palm-like plants, which 
are often grown as Palms, but belong to the Cyclauth division of the Pandan- 
ads; Gory pita, a genus which contains but few species, but some of them pro- 
duce very large fan-leaves. They are plants of extremely slow growth and 
are characterized by tall, stout, cylindrical trunks; Crotons, are almost indis- 
pensable for the decoration of greenhouses or public exhibition, as their habit 
and color produce an effect, which is not produced by any other plant; Cycas, 
very handsome plants, are closely related to the Conifers and Ferns and are 
exceedingly useful for greenhouse decoration; Diffenhachia, a very handsome 
plant; some species have yellowish green leaves from twelve to fifteen inches 
in length, irregularly blotched with dark green and profusely spotted with 
white; Dracaenas, plants that are amongst the most useful and beautiful of 
fine-foliaged plants of graceful habit, with beautifully colored leaves; Kentia, 
a genus of handsome, robust, greenlaouse Palms; Latania, another handsome 
family of Palms with large fan-like leaves; Maranta, a plant-family that have 
their foliage more or less variegated, some of them in the most beautiful man- 
ner; few plants can equal tliem as objects of delight in a greenhouse collection; 
Pandanus or Screw Pines, plants that show a very peculiar spiral arrange- 
ment of their leaves and which in a state of natin-e grow twenty and thirty 
feet high; P/ioeni.v, a genus of Palms and a very interesting and ornamental 
plant; the flower spikes are produced from amongst the leaves and not below 
them, male and female flowers being produced on separate plants; Ptyckos- 
perma, another exceedingly handsome genus of Palms, which in their natural 
state grow from ten to eighty feet in height; Seaforthia, a most graceful 
species of the Palm family and eminently well adapted for greenhouse decora- 
tion; Tillandsia, a genus of Bromeliaceous plants, containing many species re- 
markable for the beauty of their flowers; Anthurium, a plant highly valuable 
as a foliage plant with large leaves of a bold and striking character and with 
flowers of a brilliant shining scarlet color; Billbergia, a noble, and erect-grow- 
ing species, and a very showy plant; Vriesia, an exceedingly handsome spec- 
ies of dwarf habit of growth; Azalea, a superb genus of highly ornamental 
plants, has become a great favorite and is much in favor as a decorative plant 
for indoor use; Camellia, a magnificent genus of evergreen shrubby plant 
with beautiful rose-like but odorless flowers; Erica, a very attractive green- 
house plant, that is much admired; Rhododendron, a well known and deserv- 
edly popular genus of many species. Besides those named there are ninnerous 
other families of plants, as for instance: Carissa, Cycas, Euterpe, Aspidistra, 
many beautiful Ferns, Selaginella, Peristeria, Aerides, Saccolabium, Vanda, 
Angfaecum, etc., all forming a most enjoyable group for the admiring eye of 
the flower-loving laymen as well as for the botanist. 

J. C. VAUGHAN'S GREEN HOUSES. 

Among the prominent and successful commercial gardeners of this city 
Mr. J. C. Vaughan stands in the front rank. His success may be attributed 
mainly to the firm stand he has taken, not to offer anything to his customers 
that is not meritorious or which is merely a fictitious and over-estimated cur- 
iosity under the name of "Novelty." 

The greenhouses of Mr. Vaughan are situated at Western Springs, a l)eau- 
tiful suburb of Chicago, on the Chicago, Burlington ifc Quincy Railroad. They 
contain over 35,000 feet of glass and hot beds and cold frames in proportion. 
The frost-proof storage house for dormant Roses, Clematis, Dahlias and small 
fruits forms a valuable feature for the careful handling of swvh plants. Over 
this .storage cellar are the Gladiolus and Tubero.se bins and racks and the gen- 



— 208 — 

eral packing room for mail and express orders. The greenhouses, sixteen in 
all, are devoted to the various plants as follows: Two large palm houses, one 
being 24 x 120 feet and 13 feet high, containing many magniticent plants, which 
will be grown for the World's Fair; one large house IS'x 150 feet, devoted to 
the new French Canna's, among them some beautiful new, unnamed seedlings; 
another house to Chrysanthemums, new and old, over 100 unnamed seedlings 
being grown for a thorough test before sending out; also tive houses used 
exclusively for Roses, two of them 18 x 120 feet; two houses for bedding plants; 
a house for seed-testing; one for bulbs and tuberous rooted plants; two houses 
for propagating- 

The Chrysanthemums put on exhibition at the Flower-shows in Chicago 
and other western cities were very creditable to the green-house department 
of Mr. Vaughan's extensive business (he received eleven first premiums and 
two second prizes out of 13 entries at the second-last Chicago Flower-show), 
and they proved a delight to many of Mr. Vaughan's patrons, of which quite 
a number were fortunate enough to witness the far better display made at the 
greenhouses themselves. The central latitude provides a climate and seasons 
for varieties of plants suitable to the great agricultural belt of the Northern 
States, avoiding the small and inferior vegetables, flowers and grains from the 
extreme North, as well as the late, large-growing and non-maturing varieties 
of the South. 

The main store at Nos. 146-148 West Washington Street in this city, occu- 
pies three floors, each 40x185 feet, and two cellars, the latter for potatoes. 
These storage, packing and shipping floors, with the facilities at Western 
Springs for storing duplicate stocks of bulbs, doriuant Roses, Clematis, etc, 
are unexcelled for that purpose. The city store is in the center of the retail 
business of Chicago, at No. 88 State Street and will be found most convenient 
to all who make their purchases in person. At both stores can also be found 
garden and farm tools and supplies in endless variety. 

It may be mentioned in addition to the above, that Mr. Vaughan intends 
to keep open nouse durino; this j'ear. He is having printed a progranuue of 
the Horticultural Department of the World's Fair, its plan, its rules, its special 
features and seasonable shows in all departments. Part of this will appear in 
his regular 1893 catalogue, additional in bulletins as needed. All regular cos- 
tumers and all new ones of this year will receive free the book for 1893 and 
also the bulletins issued concerning the Fair. 

For the convenience of Eastern costumers, Mr. Vaughan has opened a 
.store at No 12 Barclay Street. New York City, from where all seeds, bulbs, 
tools and supplies offered in the catalogues can be secured. 

* * 

* 

Besides the conservatories and green houses described in the foregoing there 
are in this city a number of other handsome private collections of plants, 
among which the collections of orchids in the conservatories of AVm. H. Chad- 
wick, Potter Palmer, Dr. Clarke, G. Wittbold and others deserve special 
mention. And after our stroll through these conservatories we have not seen 
iialf of their contents; but after all liow minute a portion do all of them, the 
liorticullural and floricultural show at the World's Fair and the richly stocked 
palm-houses of our great parks included, constitute of that exhaustless treas- 
ure which enriches our globe! AVe had it undoubtedly strongly impressed 
upon our mind during tiie time that we held converse not with inanimate, 
insensate creatures, l)ut with beings which deliirhted in the tender care that 
fed and fo.stered them, and exhibited their gratitude in lani^uage unintelligible 
only to those who have no heart to open, and no ears to give to such things. 



>11 — 



THE QUEEN OF AQUATICS. 



The public visiting Lincoln and Washington Parks owe a debt of gratitude 
to the men standing at the head of floriculture in these parks for having in- 
troduced to lovers of the beautiful in nature the queenly water-lily Victoria 
Regia, perhaps the most extraordinary of all Horal productions. Lincoln Park 
was the first in this city to successfully rear this lily of the Amazon from seeds 
and Washington Park was not long in imitating the praiseworthy example 
set I)y its lovely sister on the North Side. In both parks the lily-ponds now 
form "one of the chief attractions and there the great Victoria Regia reigns 
supreme over her numerous family relations of various complexions — all of 
them beautiful, however. 

Although discovered by Professor Haenke, a German botanist of great re- 
pute, as early as 1801, it was not until 1887 that any historical sketch and des- 
cription of the wonderful lily appeared. It was then again discovered, this 
time by Sir Robert Schomburgh, who transmitted the original drawings and a 
description to the London Botanical Society. 

Mr, Schomburgh says: "It was on the 1st of January, 1837, while con- 
tending with the difficulties that nature interposed in different forms to stem 
our progress up the river Berbice (lat, 4°, 30' N., long. 52° AV.), that we ar- 
rived at a part where the river expanded and formed a currentless basin. Some 
object on the southern extremity of this basin attracted my attention, and I 
was unable to form an idea of what it could be; but, animating the crew to 
increase the rate of their paddling, we soon came opposite the object which 
had raised my curiosity, and, behold, a vegetable wonder! All calamities were 
forgotten; I was a botanist, and felt myself rewarded! There were gigantic 
leaves, live to six feet across, flat, with a broad rim; lighter green above, and 
vivid crimson below, floating upon the water; while, in character with the 
w^onderful foliage, I saw luxuriant flowers, each consisting of numerous petals, 
passing, in alternate tints, from pure white to ro.se and pink. The smooth 
water was covered with the blossoms, and as I rowed from one to the other, 
I always found something new to admire. The flower-stalk is an inch thick 
near the calyx, and studded with elastic prickles about three-quarters of an 
inch long. When expanded, the four-leaved calyx measures a foot in diameter, 
but is concealed Ijy the expansion of the hundred-petalled corolla. This beauti- 
ful flower, when it first unfolds, is white, with a pink centre; the color spreads 
as the bloom increases in age, and, at a day old. the whole is rose-colored. As 
if to add to the charm of this noble water-lily, it diffuses a sweet scent. As in 
the case of others in the same tribe, the petals aud stamens pass gradually 
into each other, and many petaloid leaves may be observed bearing vestiges of 
an another. The seeds are numerous and imbedded in a spongy substance. 
Ascending the river we found this plant frecpiently; and tiie higher we ad- 
vanced, the more gigantic did the specimens become; one leaf we measured 
was 6 feet .1 inches in diameter, the rim 6i inches high and the flowers 1^ feet 
across." 

When the great American water-lily became known in Europe, a strong 
desire to obtain its introduction to that country in a living state soon evinced 
itself. After a series of futile attempts, the queen of all tlie lilies was success- 
lull}' introduced into the Exotic A(|uarium at Kew in England. A number of 
healthy plants being raised, one of them was sent to the gardens at Chats- 
worth, the seat of the Duke of Devonshire; and on the 1st of November, 1849, a 
flower appeared, indicating a condition of advancement beyond what had been 
attained by any of the other plants at Kew or elsewhere. 



— 212 — 

Professor Lindley thus described tlie splendid blossom: The flower itself, 
when it first opens, resembles the white water-lily, of a dazzling white, with 
its fine leathery petals, forming a goblet of the most elegant proportions; but 
as the day advances it gradually expands till it becomes nearly flat; towards 
evening a faint blush becomes visible in the centre, the petals fall back more 
and more, and at last, about six o'clock, a sudden change occurs; in a few 
minutes the petals arrange themselves in the form of a snow-white hemisphere, 
whose edge reposes on the water, and the centre rises majestically at the sum- 
mit, producing a diadem of rosy points. It then constitutes one of tlie most 
elegant objects in nature. Shortly after, the exixinsion of the central parts 
proceeding, these points fall back, the stamens unfold in an interior coronet, 
the stigmas are laid bare, a grateful perfume arises in the air, and the great 
object of the flower — the fertilization of the seed — is accomplished. Tljen 
fold'inwards the petals, the flower closes, the fairest of vegetable textures be- 
comes wrinkled, decay begins, and the flower-stalk withdraws itself beneath 
the water, as if to veil the progress of corruption. But out of this decay arises 
a new living body; the fruit, curved downward, swells rapidly and in a short 
time a prickly seed-vessel is observed concealed beneath the floating leaves." 

The above descriptions of this wonderful plant will, we think, greatly as- 
sist those, who come to admire the Victoria Regia in our parks and are unac- 
quainted with the habits, history and inner life of this vegetable wonder, to 
get a pretty accurate conception of this interesting object. In addition to all 
this it may be mentioned that the large, salvor-shaped leaves of circular form 
are capable of supporting the weight of a child from 10 to 12 years of age 
standing on a board laid across so as to obtain an even balance. 

There is no doubt that the head gardeners of both the parks mentioned 
will make a special effort during the present World's Fair-year to have the 
Victoria Regia on exhibition in its most perfect and interesting form, so as to 
be an object of genuine delight to the eye of the multitudes that will throng 
around the lily-ponds. 




— 215 



FLORICULTURE AT THE WORLD'S 
COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION. 



With the steady march of progress and notably by the aid of the Society 
of American Florists, and 965 state and local societies and Florists' club's 
during the past six years, by the aid of the press, by the aid of exhibitions 
and by the education whicli has naturally been obtained from the sources 
mentioned, the advance of floriculture is one of the wonders of the time. 

From a commercial standpoint, the U. S. Census report of commercial 
floriculture in a digest, is as follows: "In the United States there were 
4,659 floral establishments in the census year, 312 of which were owned and 
conducted by women. The total feet of glass in use in all the establishments 
was 38,823,247, and the establishments, including fixtures and heating appa- 
ratus, were valued at f 28,355,722.43. The value of tools and implements used 
was $1,587,693.93. There were employed 16,847 men and 1,958 women, the 
combined annual wages amounting to $8,483,657. Fuel cost was $1,160,152.66. 
Three million, two hundred and forty-five thousand six hundred wholesale, 
and 17,630 094 retail catalogues are annually issued, while $767,438.21 was 
paid for postage. $1,161,168.31 for advertising, $354,221.56 for freight, and 
!f554,390.55 for express bills. 

The total products were 49,056 253 roses, 38,380,872 hardy plants and 
shrubs, and 152,835,293 of all otlier i)lants, the value of which was $12,036,- 
477.76, and cut flowers to the amount of 114,175,328.01 were reported as 
sold. Mr. John Thorpe, chief of the department of floriculture at the 
World's Fair, has this to say in reference to the floriculture to be exhibited 
at the Exposition: ' The costliest ideas and the very highest aims are com- 
patible only with the advancement of the profession. Small exhibits can 
not be expected to be efftr-ctive. Groups of plants of all kinds will not be 
shown simply by the hundreds, but in thousands and tens of thousands. 

The general massing of the plants will be on such a scale as to astcmish 
even those who are acquainted with what has been accomplished. As a 
matter of fact, and one that is conceded by those best able to judge, the 
parks of Chicago have this moment the finest displays of floriculture adorn- 
ments ot all the cities in the world. The brilliant and effective coloring to 
be seen in the designs at Washington Park and the superior water lily 
display at Lincoln Park, together with the fine displays at the other 
parks, have gladdened the hearts and called forth the admiration of hun- 
dreds of thousands, remembering what Chicago has, and is now doing for 
floriculture in her parks. 

The florioultural dejiartment of the World's Fair must outstrip all pre- 
vious attempts in all and everyone of its branches, even to surpassing the 
magnificent work here mentioned. Tliis can only be obtained by a determi- 
nation to eclipse all previous efforts. Not one moment must be given to 
looking backward. There is no time to look backward. In that mag- 
nificent building, Horticultural Hall, will be found space enough to 
make displays of nearly all exhibits recpiiring protection. The building is 
1,000 feet long with an extreme width of 286 feet. The plan is a central 
pavilion with two end pavilions each connected to the center ]iavilion by 
front and rear curtains, forming two interior courts, each 88 by 270 feet. 
These courts are beautifully decorated in color and planted with orna- 
mental shrubs and flowers. The center pavilion is roofed by a crystal 
dome 137 feet in diameter and 113 feet high, under which will be exhibited the 

8 



— 216 — 

tallest palms, bamboos and tree ferns that can be procured. There is a 
gallerj'in each of the pavilions. The galleries of the end pavilions are de- 
signed for cafes, the situation and the surroundings being particularlj' well 
adapted to recreation and refreshment. The cafes are surrounded by an 
arcade on three sides, from which charming views of the ground can be 
obtained. Of various tropical plants there will be large groups of orchids, 
palms, ferns, and in fact nearly every known decorative species and varit-ty. 

Outdoor floriculture will be on such a scale of magnificence as to eclipse 
all previous efforts, beginning with the showy tulips and hyacinths, ending 
with chrysanthemums and cosmos. Floriculture must be representative in 
every sense of the word. However much the cut flowers of roses, carnations, 
and chrysanthemums are admired and though large numbers of them are 
produced, they but very imperfectly represent floriculture. Plants of all 
kinds must oe grown and cared for. We should not only have a large 
variety of plants and flowers for the decoration of dwellings and the adorn- 
ment of greenhouses, but every plant suitable for the decoration of lawns 
and gardens. For example, all bulbous plants, all herbaceous plants, and 
the many beautiful annuals and bienniels, such as are cheaply obtained and 
easily grown, must have all the encouragement possible at the World's 
Columbian Exposition. Let us do everything on a scale equal to the mag- 
nitude of the undertaking. 

I predict that the World's Columbian Exposition will advance floricul- 
ture 25 years, and that in ten years from now, I venture to say, that Chicago 
will come pretty near being the head center of the business." 




I 




219 



EDWARD S. DREYER, 



Ml!. Edwakd S. Dreyer, whose handsome resideflce is shown on page 
103 is one of the most popular and successful business men of Chicago. Be- 
sides conducting with Mr. Kobert Berger, his amiable partner, the well known 
banking house of E. S. Dreyer & Co., he was also president of the real estate 
board of tliis city, is treasurer of the state private bank association, director and 
treasurer of Chicago Heights, and was appointed by JMayor Washburne one of 
the railroad terminal commissioners. lie belongs to the public spirited men, 
who helped to build up the German Oltl People's Home (Altenheim), the Schiller 
and Grant monuments in Lincoln Park, the Auditorium, Schiller Theatre, Ger- 
mania Club building, etc. 

Mr. Dreyer is a native of Biickeburg, in Schaumburg-Lippe, Germany, 
where he was born, August 5, 184-4. He was educated in the city of Hameln 
in Hanover, after which he learned the trade of carriage trimmer. Both of 
his parents having died when he was yet a child, he went to live with his near- 
est relatives until he had attained the age of fifteen years. After finishing his 
schooling he determined to change both his location and his business and ac- 
cordingly crossed the ocean to America, lauding in New York in June. 186-1. 
Upon landing he came directly to Chicago, where he has remained up to the 
present hour. When he had learned the language of this country and had ac- 
quired an insight into the rights and duties of citizenship he entered the em- 
ploy of Knauer Brothers, real estate dealers, in whose service he remained 
until January 1, 1870, when, as a reward of merit, he became a member of the 
firm. 

In February, 1873, he withdrew from the partnership and established a 
real estate business of his own under the name of E. S. Dreyer tt Company, 
which title lias been used continuously down to the present time. His ottice 
was then located at 72 Dearborn Street, from where it was removed in 187o to 
98 Dearborn Street. The rapid growth of his business soon made it necessary 
again to remove to more commodious quarters, whereupon he located at 88 
Washington Street, where he remained until 1878, when he occupied his [ires- 
ent spacious rooms at the northeast corner of Dearborn and Washington 
Streets. He grew steadily and raindly in wealth and in popular favor and 
soon his popularity was not exceeded by that of any other real estate dealer or 
banker in the city. From the time he began, back in 1873, down to the pres- 
ent day, he has "invested over $100,000,000, a sum so vast that its magnitude 
can hardly be comprehended. 

So rapidly had Mr. Dreyer amassed money, that in 1877, he founded his 
mortgage banking business and conducted it in conjunction with his real estate 
dealing.s. From 1875 to 1891, Mr. Edward Koch was his business partner, and 
in 1878 Mr. Ko])ert Berger was also admitted to the partnership and is thus 
associated at the present time. 

Since the great fire in 1871, this firm has built fully two hundred houses 
in all portions of the city. IMr. Dreyer is a strong democrat and in December 
1884 was chosen collector of North Ciiicago out of thirty-two candidates for 
the position. In 1888 he was elected school treasurer of Lake View. He is a 
member of the County Board of Education atul a Director of the Public Lib- 
rary. 

Mr. Dreyer came to this city poor and friendless; but he was not afraid to 
work, and where is the German that is? In less than a (puvrter of a century 
he has accumulated a large fortune and wtm an enviable reputation for integ- 
rity, honesty and l)enevolence. His wife was formerly Aliss Augusta Bill- 
igmann, a native of Keokuk. Iowa, who has presented him with four chil- 
dren; Addie, Lottie, Edward S. Jr. and Florence. 



— 220 



THEO. A. KOCHS. 



'jilffftfer'-i" 



In illustrating the rapid growth of the City of Chicago and its wonderful 
development, one of the best examples is the establishment of Theo A. Kochs, 
manufacturer of Barbers' ISupplies, at 158170 Wells (Street. Twenty years 
ago this business was begun at 'J17 Fifth Ave. and Mr. Kochs supplied the 

local barbers with such goods as are needed in 
this business, but his reputation soon began to 
spread into adjoining towns and cities and the 
business rapidly increased. Gradually the whole 
of the building at 217 Fifth Ave. was occupied 
and factory space was rented upon the West Side, 
but the business continued to grow and in 1883 
Mr. Kochs found it necessary to^erect a building 
at 158-160 Wells St., into which the entire busi- 
ness, oflice, store and factory was moved. At 
the time it seemed that the building would be 
large enough to meet all requirements, but in 
1885 it was necessary to add another story and 
in 1887 the lot adjoining was built upon, so that 
the capacity was almost doubled. But even tliis 
was not sufficient and in 1890 the building was 
again enlarged so that now it occupies a frontage 
of 148 feet on Wells Street and 110 feet on Erie 
Street, making a total tloor space of almost -two 
acres. 

In this vast establishment about 250 men are 
employed in the manufacture of Barbers' Cliairs 
and Furniture, Barbers' Poles, I 'ecorated Shaving 
Mugs, Cosmetics and Perfumery of all descriptions, and, in fact, everythiug that 
i.s required in a modern barber shop. These gojds are sliipjied to all parts of 
tiie United States, from Maine to California, to Canada, Mexico, England, 
Australia and South America, and the establishment tiiat was l)orn twenty 
years ago now supplies the barbers in every corner of the civilized world. 




1873. 







1«5)3. 



— -1 2 1 



Y 



^pgg7$gp:^|,tt'1^^ gH^&SSiSSL 




imuwj um^^mMm^mWn^^iuw^ mm ei mw 







JOHN M. SMYTH BUILDING. 

John M. Smyth's new building, to replace that destroyed by fire in April 
1891, was begun and completed within a space of about five months. It is 
one of the finest blocks on the west side, being eight stories in height, having 
a frontage of 205 feet on Madison street and a depth of 180 feet, and costing 
.$350,000. It is of the so-called, slow- burning mill construction, iron columns 
and wood being used in the interior and buff Bedford stone and brick for the 
exterior walls. Two massive arches form the entrance. The store front is 
provided with the largest plate glass windows in Chicago, each pane being 
196 by 120 inches in size. Handsome pillars separate the windows. The 
main show-room is 120 by 125 feet in area, and the central shipping court, 
which has a glass, iron-trussed roof, is 55 by 118 feet. Two wings, each 40 
by 180 feet, extend back from the main joom. Four freight elevators are 
provided, as well as a number of jiassenger elevators, run by six engines of 
120-horse power. Three thousand, six hundred incandescent electric lights, 
250 arc lights and 1,800 gas-jets furnish brillant illumination for every part of 
the building. Four broad stairways connect the various floors. The entire 
structure, having a total floor area of 279,000 square feet or six and one-fourth 
acres, is used for the storing, finishing and uppholstering display and sale of 
furniture. It is located at 150-166 West Madison street. 



^^#^ 



■ -^ Ji^ 



business Mstices. 



"^D^ 



Ilini)t6 itaab^Jdtuttg 



THE GREAT 

GERMAN DAILY, 
WEEKLY AND 
SUNDAY 
NENA/SPAPER. 



It is the leading and most influential German 
Newspaper west of New York City. 



With Its LARGE AND RAPIDLY INCREASING CIRCULATION 

and great popularity it long since has become a highly 
valuable and desirable 

MEDIUM FOR ADVERTISING. 

It not only reaches the large Cernman population of this 
City and County, but has readers in every State and Terri- 
tory of the Union, and a large list outside of the United 
States. 



STARTS ZEITUNG BUILDING, 

Northeast Cor. Washington Street and Fifth Avenue, 

CHICAGO. 

TEX-SPKOrTE: 635 nfl[A.ZN. 



E. S. DREYER. ROBERT BERGER. 

E. S. Dreyer & Co., 

BANKERS, 

REAL ESTATE AND LOANS. 

N. E. Cop. Dearborn and Washington Sts.,. 

Telephone 2645. OlTj. lO ACjfO. 



Fkkd. S. James. (Jko. W. Blossom. 



\Vm. p. Maksh. Jos. S. Phi i. lips. 

Fred. S. James & Co., 

Fire Irsdrarge flsEnGY, 

174 LA SALLE STREET, 

Telephone No. 204. CHICAGO. 



LANCASHIRE INSURANCE CO., England. 
FIREMEN'S FIRE INSURANCE CO., Boston, Mass. 
THE DELAWARE INSURANCE CO., Philadelphia, Pa. 
CONNECTICUT FIRE INSURANCE CO., Hartford, Conn. 
NATIONAL FIRE INSURANCE CO., Hartford, Conn. 
BROADWAY INSURANCE CO., New York. 



m MiioML m or ilunois, 

115 DEARBORN STREET, CHICAGO. 

GEORGE SCHNEIDER, President. WM. A. HAMMOND, Casbier. 

CARL MOLL. Ass't Cashier. HENRY L. FIELD, Second Ass't Cashier. 



PAID-UP CAPITAL $1,000,000 

SURPLUS AND UNDIVIDED PROFITS 1,015,000 



Acconnts ol individuals, l)anlvs, banlvcrs and corporations so'icited and correspon- 
dence invited. Buy and sell foreign exchange. Issue ENGLISH and GER.MAN letters 
of credit, available in all parts of the world. 



EDWARD KOCH.. 

BANKER AND BROKER 

158 Dearborn Street, 
MEMBER CHICAGO STOCK EXCHANGE. 

Telephone 2978. CHICAGO. 



WILLIAM DICKINSON COURTLANDTS. DIXON JEROME A. KING 

JOHN W. DICKINSON IRAC. HUTCHINSON 

Dickinson Bros, & King, 

Foieign and fliUBiicaii Portland CBments. 

MILWAUKEE CEMENT. LOUISVILLE CEMENT. 
CHICAGO. NEW YORK. NEW ORLEANS. 



INTERNBTIONHL BflNK, 

iio LA SALLE STREET. 

After May ist, 1893, Security Building, 
Cor. Madison and Fifth Ave. 



CAPITAL, 
SURPLUS, 

B. NEU, Cashier. 



$500,000. 
150,000. 

B. LOEWENTHAL, President. 



COURSES OF FOUR MONTHS, y, ROBERT WAHL, Ph. D. 

.....^ -.-„«. .»nx/ . L y^-J^-t^": WIAX HENIUS, Ph. D. 

BEGINNING FEBRUARY Ist /^^7, ^,,.,,,,,,, „^ 

AND SEPTEMBER Ist. rK**"*^' 




I I I I I I I I 






717^ Sgentific; 5tatior} 

FOR 

Br^u/ir><5 of ^Ql7i(;a(5o. 



. -^ 



! I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 

^meFicaiB Brewimi IgtigMf^ 

X — ^&.4. ^ ^k «_ ^ >»t.^^ wk w -Ski.*, w^&m^I Ml ts>^ «%%^ ■>/ HM^mJv « 

Editors "Der Braumeister." 

No. 294 South Water Street, 

N. W. Cor. Lake Street, 



ABENDPOST. 



The GREAT 

GERMAN DAILY. 

"Want Ads." are a specialty of the " Abendpost." It has more of this 
class of advertisements than all the other German newspapers of 
Chicago combined, or than any other German paper outside of New 
York. This is the most convincing proof of the great popularity 
and circulation of the "Abendpost." Eighty branch advertising 
agencies throughout the United States. 

Main office, 203 FIFTH AVENUE, 

ABENDPOST BUILDING. 






IPIjA-IIsr J^lsTlD 






^ ORNflinENTflL PLASTERER, 

OFFICE, ROOM 40, LAKESIDE BUILDING, 

S. W. COR. CLARK AND ADAMS STREETS, 

Telephone Main 33 1. CHICAGO, ILL. 

Residence 239 Bissell Street. 

STRICTLY HIGH CLASS WORK A SPECIALTY. 



PROTECT YOURSELF AND FAMILY 



BY RECORDING YOUR NUMBER WITH THE 

Natisnal IdentifiGatien GsiripanY, 

OF CHICHGO, IL.LINOIS. 

ROOM 2, 92 E. WASHINGTON STREET. 



OFFICERS: 

JULIUS JONAS, President and Treasurer. 

JAMES G. SPENCER, Secretary. 

JUSTUS M. KRAUS, Vice President and Gen. Supt. 



THE NATIONAL IDENTIFICATION CO. 

Recommends itself to everybody. Because in case of injury, 
it informs your friends as soon as notified and sends you to 
address recorded, with an attendant in a conveyance, without 
cost to you. 

Because in case of death it embalms the body, taking 
charge of same until relieved by friends. 

Everybody recorded is furnished with a neat metal badge, 
which can be attached to a key ring or worn in any conven- 
ient place about the body. In a book of Record, opposite the 
number is the name, address and full description of the party 
recorded, also the party to be notified. 



COSTING BUT A TRIFLE, 
ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 



Chicago Board of Reference By Permission: 



Hon. Hempstead Waslibiiriie, Mayor, 
liabbl EinilG. Hirsch, 
Hon. John T. Finneity, M. ('. 
J. A. Sexton, Postmaster. 
Clias. Kern, County Treasurer. 
R. W. McClauRhry, Cbiel of Police. 



John D. Shea, Chief of Detectives. 

I-;. S. Dreyer, Ranker. 

Julius Goldzier, M.C. 

F. H. Cooper (Sic^el, Cooper & Co.) 

Leo Austrian, I'urnilure Manufacturer. 



PAUL J HAUSWIRTH, 



Successor to 
CHARLES REISSIG, 



^ FII0R1ST * 

AUDITORIUM BUILDING, 

CHICAGO. 



Estimates on Decorations ClieerfuUy Furnished. 



TELEPHONE 2149. 



■Q. A. TU2NB0LL. Established 18S8. E. P. CULLEBTON. 



TURNBULL & CULLERTON, 

General Roolers 



Gypsuminenal 
Cement . . . # 
Roofing^-^ 



GUARANTEED 10 YEARS. 

OFFICE.- 



Ag-ents Peninsular Metal Lath. 

g^^ 195 LA SALLE STREET. 

Yards: 16th St. and Blue Island Avenue, 
C, B. & Q. Ry. Tracks. 

All Kinds of Gravel Composition and \^ ^WI/^AOO 



Metal Roofing. Repairing and Re- 
coating a Specialty. 



TELEPHONE 819. 






REGISTER. 



A. 

Abrahams, Henry 147 

Abt, Peter 151 

Adams, David 147 

Adams, McGregor J -U 

Amberg, Frnnz '^4, 78 81 

Anderson, Berndt 1~6 

Anderson, John 176 

Anderson, Niles 24 27 

Angelsberg, M.N 135 

Apple, Henry 151 

Arms^trong, John M 15 16, 19 

Arnold, J 143 

Arnold, J. P 78 

Artz, B 151 

Austin, H. W 164 

Austrian, Falk 147 

B. 

Babka, Jos 180 

Baier, A 143 

Baker, S. L 73 

Balatka. Hans 47 

Bates, Eli 23 27 

Bauer, Aug 155 

Bauer, August 24 

Baynes, John 13!) 

Becker, Chas 144 

Beck with. Judge 43. 150 

Becvar, Jos 180 

Benson, C. L 176 

Berger, Robert 217 

Bernard, F. H. I)r 78 

Best, Wm 59 

Biehl, L 140 

Birkeland J. S 175 

Blair, C.J 39 

Blaney, J. C, Dr 123 

Blatter, F 143 

Blodgeit,H. W 131 

Bodenschatz 168 

Bogue, Geo. M 151 

Bohemian Free Thinkers .... 179 

Bowen,(!. T '..40,44 

Boyle, Amelia C 143 

Bradley Wni. II 19 

Bradwell, J. B 131 

Branstad, L 176 

Brenan, Thos , 136 



Brenock, John 68, 71, 72 

Brick, Chr 143 

BrockwMy, Adelheid 155 

Bross, Wm 40 

Brusewitz, H. P 176 

Bryan, Daniel Page 120 

Bryan, Thomas B 120 

Buehler, John 68, 71, 78, 167, 168 

Burcky, David 151 

Burkhardt, Henry iS 72 

Burkhardt & Son 143 

Busch,J.B 143 

c. 

Campbell, James 151 

Carlson, CO ...24 

Carlson, L 176 

Carpenter, Benj , 15, 16 

Carter, Consider 71 

Carver, Benj 151 

Chadband, W 128, 131 

Chadwick, Wm. H 208 

Chaiser, Andrew 24 

Charles, Jos 28 

Chicago Dregding & Dock Co ... .36 

Clark, David W 72 

Clark, John V. Jr 39 

Cleveland, H. W. S 44 

Clussmann, Werner 168 

Cole, Cyrus E 151 

Cole,D,ivid 60 

Cook, Burton C 151 

Cooley, H. H 151 

Cornell, Paul 40, 44, 151 

Cossmann , M 143 

Cottle, W. P 155 

Cragin.E. F 28 

Cramer, Cale 151 

Cregier.DeWittC 176 

Cremer, Anton 143 

Cross, Clarence 164 

Cudahy, John 136 

Cullom,S. M 68 

Culver, B. F 19 

Cunningham, Ilobt 151 

Cunningham, Thos F 28 

D. 

Demmler, Franz 24 

Detmer, Anton 143 



232 



Devine, Wm. M 130 

DeVry, Hermann '^4 

Dewes.F.J 78,81 

Dietzsch, Emil 24 

Diversy, Michael 14o 

Dohl, J.G ...144 

Donnersberger, Jos 5'J 

Dore, JohnC 40 

Drake, Frank 1 ol 

Drechsler, A 144 

Dreyer, Au£;usta Mr.< 217 

Dreyer, Edward S 24,28,31, 217 

Dubuis, O. F 71 

Dunn, F. K 151 

E. 

Eastman, Frank 40 

Eckart, Geo 164 

Egan, Wm. B., Dr 40 

Ehrhorn, G 81 

Eizner, John 98 

Eklund, Chas 24 

Ellsworth, J. W 59 

Enander, John A 24 

Engelsmann, F 143 

Ernst, Jos. E 115 

Eskilson, John 146 

F. 

Farwell, C. B 28 

Farwell, MarcusA 148, 151 

Fiiulhaber, John M 168 

Feindt, Wm 108 

Ferber, Johaun 155 

Fiedler 144 

Fischer, Jacob 108 

Fischer, Peter, Rev 1 5o 

FitzSimons, Charles. . .35, 36, 47, 176 

Flannigan, J 150 

Forrest, J. K. C 40 

Foster, Frank J 47 

Frank, Jos 24 

Freeman, S. A 27 

Friesleben, Catharine 151 

Froehlich, Jacques • 108 

Fucik, Frank 180 

Fuller, H.W 40 

c. 

Qabrielson, G 170 

(iage, Geo. W 44, 47 

Gage, J.N. , 151 

Gall, L. G 151 

Gauss.E. F. L 78, 100 

Geilfuss, Aug 151 

Geist, C. F 108 

German Press Club 78 

Getty, Henry II 120 

Gieliske, C 151 

Gilpin, Henry D 73 

Gindele, John G 10 

Glogauer, Fritz 78 



Goldmann, Sam 147 

Goldstein, Isaac 147 

Goldstein, P 147 

Goldzier, Julius 78 

Goodman, Dau'l 151 

Goodrich , A 151 

Goodrich, Grant 15 

Goodspead, E. J 1,55 

Gottfried M 108 

Gottsellig, Therese 155 

Goudy, Wm. C 16, 39 

Grannis, W. C. D 151 

Grant, Mrs 28 

Grant Monument 27 

Grant, Ulysses Jr 28 

Green Dredging Comiiany 36 

Greeuebaum, Henry .... (jO, 08, 78 81 

Gresham, Walter Q 27 

Grommes, Jacob 28 

Gross, Jacob 81 

Grosse, John 28 

Guenther, Thee 168 

Gunderson, S. T 170 

Guth, H 151 

H. 

Haase's Park 163 

Haeberle, A. T 144 

Haedicke, Paul 78 

Haertiug, Carl 24, 78 

Hagemann, A 143 

Halik, St. J 180 

Hallberg, L. G... 24 

Hallermann, Amanda 144 

Hallermann, Wm 144 

Hancock, Wm. S 151 

Hanke, J 168 

Harmon, H. W 59 

Harms, H. Dr 78 

Harper, Wm.H 151 

Harrison, Carter H 23 

Harvey, J. D 28 

Ilaunschild, Jos 143 

Hayes, S. S 40, 64, 73 

Healy, Geo. P. A 120 

Hechinger, Catherine 143 

Heinzmann, Geo 81 

Heiss, C. E 24 

Heissler, Jacob 168 

Hellwig, Wilhelmine 1 68 

Henius, Max Dr 78, 81 

Ilenne, Phil 24 

Henrotin, C 28 

Herting, John 143 

Hesing, A. C 19, 20, 24, 78, 81 

Hesing, Louise Mrs 143 

Hesing, Washington 176 

Hess, Frank 180 

Hesselroth Lawrence 24, 27 

Heuer, August 39 

Heywood, P. P 28 

Hickling, Wm 151 



23.3 



Hildenbeutel, L 144 

Hitt, Isaac R BU 

Hjortsberg, Max 20 

Hjortsdahl.F 17G 

Hoerber, John L ! (jH 

Hoermann, Fred 1 44 

H.)flfmann& Co 78 

Hogan, John Mrs 180 

Hogaii, Martin 156 

Hoiiner, Johanna 1 68 

Holden, Chas. C. P 16, (iO, 68 

Holinger, Arnold 24 

Holmes, Israel lol 

Ilonore, H.H 40 

Hooley. Richard M 136 

Hora, Jos 180 

Hoyne, Henry 151 

Hoyne, Thomas 40, 43 

Huck, Louis 24.120 

Humboldt Celebration Club 78 

Humboldt Monument 78 

Hurlbut,J. H 164 

Hurlbut, 8. E 164 

Hussander, L. F 27 

I. 

Ine, Leopold 180 

J. 

Jacob, Emma "W 151 

Jacobson, A 176 

Jahncke, A. J. W 151 

Janke, John 144 

Jampolis, Marcus 147 

Jansen, Geo 168 

Jaussen, Theo 78 

Jennings, John D 40 

Jernberg, August 24 

Jewett,S. N 2S 

Johnson, A. E 24 

Johnson, A. P 176 

Johnson, Alex. J 24 

Johnson, Jacob 176 

Johnson, Nelson 82 

Johnson, W.T 28 

Johnston, Samuel 81 

Johnston, W. S 78 

Jones. William 15 

Junker, Heinrich 144 

K. 

Kadish, L. J 20 

Kales, Francis 19 

Kanst, Fred 47, 52, 55 

Karls, Theo 24 

Karnatz,F. H 77 

KaufEert, C. F 151 

Kayler, Ben j 1 55 

Keller, Aug 151 

Kern, Chas 28 

K^^tteli^trings. Jos 1 64 

Kineella, D. P 180 



Kirk, Chas. S 39 

Klacel, Ladimir Prof 180 

Klein, Henry 155 

Kleiner, Paul 151 

Knauer Bros 217 

Koch, Edward 78 

Kochs, Theo. A 218 

Koehler, Peter 168 

Kohlsaat, C. C 72 

Kostner, Jos 180 

Kress, Geo 151 

Kublank, P 151 

Kummer, J 168 

L. 

Lackner, Francis 24 

Lafrentz, H. N 168 

Langeloth, M 168 

Larson, Frithjof Dr 27 

La Salle Monument 31 

Lasman, Dora 144 

Lathrop, Bryan 120 

Lawrence, Frank J 72 

Lawson, Iver 16, 115 

Lefens, T. J 24, 28, 168 

Lehrkamp, Louise 151 

Leicht, Andrew C 24 

Leiendecker, N 143 

Leiendecker, L. P 143 

Letz, Fred 16 

Lewis, H.F 131 

Lincoln Monument 27 

Lindblom, Robert 24, 27, 28 

Lindgren, Richard 27 

Lindskog, H. Rev 27 

Lindstrand, F. A 24 

Lingenberg, John 168 

Lannaeus Monument Ass 24 

Lipe, Clark 60,68 

Loewenthal, B 68. 72 

Long, Eugene C 131 

Long, James 15 

Lott. E. R 168 

Ludlam, J. W. Dr 12 

Lynch, Thomas 136 

M. 

McAuley, J. T 28 

McAvoy, John 136 

McAvoy, John H 151 

McCagg, E. B 19.40 

McChesney, R 68 

McCrea, S. H 68,71 

McDonald, P. C 156 

McGralh, P.J 72 

McKindley. James 151 

McLaughlin, Jos 189 

Maas, Frederick 1 68 

Maas, Philip 168 

Madlener, Fridolin ...24 

Manierre, George 15 

Marks H. L 147 



•m 



Mason, Mead 151 

Matas, Vaclav 180 

Maurer, Minna 168 

Mayer, Frank 143 

Mayer, Leopold 24 

Michelsen, H .' 176 

Millard. A. C 68 

Miller, Carl 106 

Mineral Wells 101 

Mitchell, Wm. H 120 

Miville, C. D 143 

Moeller, C. C 24 

Molitor, Jos 179 

Morgan, Wm 155 

Mueller, Bernard 143 

Mueller, John B 168 

Mulligan, Col 135 

Munson, Francis 43 

Murphy, Phil. H 136 

Muus, J. F. A 68 

N. 

Neiglick, P.N 147 

Nelson, Andrew 19 

Nettelhorst, Louis 24 

New, Marie 143 

Newberry, Walter L 15 

Newman, Bishop 28 

Newman, Wm H 151 

Nickerson, S. M 19, 31 

Noe, S. R 151 

o. 

Oberg, Conrad 144 

Oehmich, H J 151 

Oesterreicher, Abraham 147 

Osden, Wm. B VJO 

Oleson, John 176 

Olmsted, Fred. Law 40, 44 

Olson, Jons 170 

O'Neill, Chas. J 136 

P. 

Palmer, Potter 28. 31 

Palmer, Potter, Mrs 28, 208 

Patterson, Thos. E 120 

Pauly, Wm 156 

Peck, Ferd 176 

Perkins, N. C 40 

Peterson, C.F 24,27 

Peterson, P. S 24, 187, 188 

Peterson, Wm. A 187 

Pettigrew, J. A 35 

Phillips, H. W 151 

Pierce, J. Irving 40 

Pieser, Jacob 147 

Pitkin. E. H 164 

Plautz, C. Hermann 78 

Pottgieser, Giesbert 151 

Proudfoot, Alderman 16 

Prueseing, George 24 



R. 

Rahlfs, Geo 68, 7 1, 72, 83 

Raimburg, A 156 

Rapp, W 23 

Rauch G. H. Dr 48 

Raymond, Benj. W 15 

Raymond, S. P 28 

Rebisso, Louis F 28, 31 

Reed, Alexander 148 

Rehm, Jacob 19, 20 

Reidi, Michael 155 

Reuter Statue 81 

Rexford, N. B 155 

Reynolds, Jas. L 120 

Richolson, B. F 176 

Righeimer, N 168 

Robinson, C. H 164 

Robinson, Lena 151 

Roeder, John C 143 

Rohn, Wm 144 

Roos, B. L 168 

Root, Jas. P 40 

Rose, Edward 28,78 

Rosenfeld, Morris 147 

Rosenthal, Julius 23, 24, 78 

Rozet, Geo. H 28 

Rubens, Harry 24, 78 

Ruhl, Moses 147 

Runyan, E. F 60, 68 

Russell, Martin J 59 

Ryerson, Martin A 120 

Ryerson Monument 31 

Rylander, Victor 24 

s. 

Sawyer, Sidney 120 

Scammon, J. Y 40 

Schiller Monument 23 

Schillo, Anton 143 

Schimpfermann, W. H 151 

Schlytern, C E 176 

Schmidt, Christian 151 

Schmidt, George 28 

Schmidt, J. H 168 

Schoenewald, J 143 

Schoenhofen, Peter 120 

Schoeninger, Adolph 200, 203 

Schoenintrer, Joseph .24 

Scholer, F 143 

Schrade, Geo 167, 168 

Schramm, F 144 

Schroeder, Louise A: Wm 168 

Schuerle, A 168 

Schuettler, Pet»^r 68 

Schulz, M 168 

Schultz, Henry 144 

Schweinfurth, G 168 

Schweii-thai, Michael 28 

Scott, G. H 128, 131 

Seaman, Herman 147 

Seiffert, Rudolph Ur 24 



Seipp, Conrad 151 

Seipp, Wm. C 1U8 

Sell, John 82 

Selz, Morris 28 

Senff, F. L 78 

Sexton, P. J 13G 

Seyfried, U 168 

Shakespeare Moniiment 81 

Shay, Jas loH 

Sheldon, Edwin H 120 

Sheppard, H. H 148. 151 

Sherman, John I> f'9 

Shipley, J. C 08 

Sidway, L. B 40,44 

Siebel, J. E. Prof lOL 

Sleben, Mich U:] 

Simon, Andreas 78 

Simonds, O. C 120 

Sidelar, Joseph 180 

Skinner, Mark 15 

Shidek, Marie 148 

Small, Albion W 81 

Smejkal, Jos. A 180 

Smith, Gpo.W .40 

Smith, Philander 1(34 

Smyth, John M 219 

Snell, A. J 128 

Snow, W. B i;!6 

Solomon, Heiman 147 

Sommer, Ludwig ' 144 

Sorgenfrei, F 151 

Spence, Henry 151 

Spiegel. M. M 147 

Spofford, G W 98 

Sprengel, C 144 

St. Gaudens, Augustus 23 27 

St. George, A . . . r 78 

Stabford, A 176 

Stanford, Geo. W 60 68 

Stangeland, O. L 176 

Stanley, P. E 28 

Steiger, G 151 

Stein, Chas 151 

Stensland, Paul O 170 

Stern, Max 24 

Stieglitz, Gustav 24 

Stockton, Jos 19 31 

Strauch, Adolph 127, 148 

Streming, John 144 

Stromback, Chas 23, 27 31 , 35 

Strong. Wm. E 31 

Stuckart, Conrad 151 

Suddard, Thos. J 71 

Sullivan, J. B 28 

Sundelius. P. A 27 

Svenson, Gustav 27 

Svobodna. Obeo 179 

Swabian Society 23 

T. 

Talcott, Mancel I\Irs 82 

Tarnow,G 168 



Taylor, Edw. S 28,31,39 

Tegtmeyer. Christopher 72 

Tempel, John 143 

Tennie, Anton 155 

Tessmann, Chas 151 

Thielemann's Rummer Kesort 27 

Thomas, Peter 155 

Thompson. Harvey L 71, 72, 81 

Thornton. David 136 

Thorpe, John 215 

Thorsen, S. D 176 

Towner, Henry 28 

Tree, Lambert 31 

Trogg, John ] 68 

Troost Bros 168 

Tully, JohnD 136 

Turner, J. B 19 

Turner, S. M. T 151 

Turner, Wm. H 181 

Turner, V. C i6 

u. 

Uhlich, Karl 155 

Uihlein, Edward 78, 104, 203. 204 

Ullmann, Nellie M 151 

Underberg M 168 

V. 

Vaesgen, Isabella ; . . 155 

Van Bokellen 151 

Vanderbelt, H 155 

Van H. Higgins 181 

VanHoutin, Frank 151 

Vaughan, J. C 207, 208 

Vidman, O. F 24 

Voss, Arno 168 

w. 

Wacker, Chas. H . . ! 28 

Wacker Monument 143 

Wadlow, R. A 39 

Wagner, Albert 143 

Wagner, Peter 148 

Waitzel, Isaac 147 

Waller, B. A 39 

Wallis,Thos 131 

Walsh John K 59 

Wampold, Louis 28 

Washburne, Hempstead .... 24 28, 81 

Weinhardt, Hermann 78 81 

Weinhardt, Martha 81 

Weiss, Geo. A 24 

Wenter, Frank 24 

Wentworth, John 128 

Werkmeister, J 151 

Wessendorf, John 155 

Whaples, Reuben 164 

Whitehouse. F. M 31 

Wicker, Alderman 115 

Widestrand, Louis 27 

Wieland, Henry 28 

Wiemann, H 168 

Wilcox, S.N 68, 71, 72 



23C 



Wild, Theo. Dr 168 

Wilken, Emil 68 

Williams, Norman 28, 31, 40 

Wilson, John M 40, 44 

Winston, F. H 19 

Wischemeyer, Henry 143, 152 

Wischemeyer, Maria 152 

Wittbold, G 208 

Wolff, Ludwig 24. 78 

Wolford, J. A 13G 

Wood, E. E 68 

Woodard, Willard 68,71, 115 

Woodman, Alderman 16 



Y. 

Yerkes. Chas. T 20, 98 

z. 

Zapel. Carl 82 

Zdrubek, Frank B 179 

Zeller, J. E. C 151 

Zender, John 143 

Zoellner. Augusta 168 

Zulfer,A 143 




I 



///2 






S3 



4\ 



